


Plan S

by BladesAndSwords



Category: SpongeBob SquarePants (Cartoon), The SpongeBob Musical - Various/Anthony & Coulton/Jarrow
Genre: F/M, Gen, Many game references like dark souls, Multi, also why do I get so sentimental about synthetics asking about their souls?, and Mass Effect and Kingdom Hearts of course, and Nier/Nier Automata omg how did I not mention this earlier, games are my life, i guess the Battle for Bikini Bottom remake kinda inspired this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-09
Updated: 2020-01-14
Packaged: 2020-04-23 09:23:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 83,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19148167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BladesAndSwords/pseuds/BladesAndSwords
Summary: Does this hardware have a soul? In which Karen and Plankton, while searching for the Secret Formula, might find an answer to that question instead.





	1. The Question

"I don't know…this option sounds mean. I don't want upset them, they've been so kind to us."

"Just make your choice, SpongeBob. We can load our previous save if you don't like the outcome."

"No Sandy, I am the commander, it is my duty to fully accept the consequences of my decisions!"

"You do remember this is a videogame, right?"

"Don't distract him, Sandy. His shoulders are burdened with great imbecility."

"Don't you mean responsibility, Patrick?"

"Two words, one meaning, right?"

"Oh brother, just pick an option already! I'm starting to rust here."

It hadn't been Karen's intention to shout, but SpongeBob had accomplished what very few people other than her husband could: he had depleted all her patience.

SpongeBob looked at her from the other side of the couch.

"Sorry Karen, I just…I want to make the right choice." He looked ashamed, sad even.

Karen sighed.

"I understand that." She said with a more mellow tone. "But do you really need to take three hours to make up your mind?"

"She is right SpongeBob." Agreed Sandy.

"But…what if I choose wrong and ruin all our playthrough? All the hours we have spent, all the characters we have helped, the worlds we have saved…." He tried to fight his tears, but soon they were streaming down his face. "IT WOULD ALL BE RUINED!"

"NO!" Yelled Patrick in despair before tackling SpongeBob into a hug. The two fell to the floor and rolled around, crying and babbling nonsense while Sandy and Karen watched them.

"I don't think they are understanding the 'reloading the last save' part." Said Sandy as she took the controller.

"Well, what did you expect?" Said Karen as she did the best to ignore the uproar the other two were causing. "Their shoulders are indeed burdened with great imbecility."

It was only when Sandy finally pressed the button and chose a dialogue option, the same Spongebob had decided to choose before succumbing to his three-hour moral dilemma, that both him and Patrick stopped crying.

It had all turned well inside the game. No friendships were broken, and no innocents were hurt in the process.

Karen had foreseen the obvious outcome from the beginning. She wondered what had made SpongeBob hesitate and ponder for so long, other than his inherent stupidity, of course.

"There. You see? Nothing bad happened. Now calm down." Said Sandy with a smile.

SpongeBob and Patrick regained their sunny attitudes as quickly as they had lost them, and soon they were back in the couch.

"What a relief!" Said SpongeBob after taking a deep breath. "The weight of responsibility really strained my shoulders."

"No, that was me. I hugged you too hard, sorry." Shrugged Patrick. He then snatched the controller from Sandy without asking. "Anyway, my turn."

He had barely finished talking when Sandy kicked him in the head. She then took the controller from him and handed it to Karen.

"You know you are banned from playing since what happened the last time, Patrick." Said Sandy while Patrick rubbed his head.

"It wasn't my fault!" He exclaimed. "How was I supposed to know what _Reset game_ meant? I thought it was a bonus level we had unlocked."

"Come on, Sandy. We all make mistakes." Added SpongeBob. "Pat deserves another chance."

"We'll talk about it later. Right now, let Karen play, she has been patient enough."

"Thank you." Said Karen, happy to finally be the one in charge.

Sandy had once stated that while watching Spongebob and Patrick's playthroughs was like witnessing a messily improvised but heart-felt theater play, Karen's felt more like a rigorously polished movie.

In her hands, the story moved quickly and coherently. Enemies were destroyed accurately, decisions were made quickly, little to no mistakes were made.

Her abilities amazed her friends, but for Karen, it felt natural, even predictable to the point of being boring. The only reason she enjoyed the gaming reunions and the game itself, other than the chance they offered of getting away from Plankton's schemes and antics for at least one day each week, was because of the characters.

Well, not all the characters.

More specifically, the characters that reminded her of herself, not because they had annoying husbands obsessed with sandwiches recipes or anything of the sort.

"Man, the synthetic lifeforms in this game are so well depicted." Observed Sandy.

"Synthetics? Are they tasty? Do you eat them with mayonnaise?" Asked Patrick. His stomach rumbled.

"I think synthetic lifeforms refers to robots, Patrick." SpongeBob said. He was eating popcorn from a bowl. Both were immediately engulfed by Patrick the moment he offered him some.

Patrick swallowed and scratched his head.

"I don't get it."

"You know, robots." Continued SpongeBob. "Artificial intelligence, computers, beep-boops, ones and zeroes, electricity…like Karen!"

Patrick gazed at Karen blankly. If he was waiting for an answer, Karen wasn't in a hurry to give him one.

She was too immersed in what she was doing to let herself be distracted by the stare of an idiot. Years of marriage with her dear husband had helped her develop that ability.

"AH!" Exclaimed Patrick out of nowhere, making Sandy and SpongeBob jump at the same time. "I think I get it. Karen is like Troop!"

"Yes, yes, now hush! It is getting interesting." Demanded Sandy. "Troop, our robotic squad mate, is about to reach an important part of his character development arc! Boy, I do love him."

"Yeah, me too!" Spongebob said with dreamy eyes.

Karen agreed in silence.

**_Captain Kandy Starpants, Troop has a question._ **

"I still can believe that's the name we went with." Sandy hid her face behind her hands. "No matter how many times I hear it, it never gets better."

"At least it sounds like a name. The other option was Patren Squarecheeks, remember?" Said SpongeBob.

"Huh, you're right. Suddenly, Kandy Starpants doesn't sound half bad anymore."

"Okay quiet everyone, here comes the question!" Said Karen with excitement. "It is the first time a question has actually intrigued me so I need complete silence."

"What about the time Plankton asked you to marry him?"

"Don't spoil the moment for me, little sponge."

**_Does this hardware have a soul?_ **

A new tree of dialogue followed the question. It had only two options.

**_Yes, you do._ **

and

**_No, you don't._ **

"Wow. They cut right to the chase with these options. I was expecting something more interesting." Said Sandy, leaning back against the couch.

"They are simple. I like simple."

"I'm with Patrick in this one. Sometimes it gets tiring when they elaborate so much." SpongeBob smiled, expectant to see what option Karen would choose.

They all waited, but nothing happened.

Karen knew they were waiting for her to do something. The feeling of hesitation, alien to her by nature, was starting to feel too real.

Confused, she reassessed the question and the options again.

They were, like Patrick had stated, simple.

Simple questions deserved simple answers.

That much was clear.

And yet, she found herself unable to pick an option.

She tried again, one time, two times, but the result was always an impenetrable wall that blocked her way to the final answer.

Why?

She could solve equations in a matter of seconds. She could come up with complex schemes. She could answer the most difficult riddles and puzzles.

But she couldn't answer one stupid question of a stupid videogame.

That wound to her pride would take some time to heal.

"Karen?"

Sandy's voice brought her back to reality. She shook her head slightly and smiled.

"Sorry, I think I went into sleep mode for a second there. Last night, Plankton felt that three in the morning was the perfect time to start ranting and crying about how all his plans always fail. Couldn't get any rest after that. Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, the question! Let's see…"

Her feign excitement worked perfectly on SpongeBob and Patrick, but Karen wasn't sure if she had fooled Sandy.

Deciding that worrying about it was useless, Karen returned her attention to the game.

"Does this hardware have a soul? Well…what do you guys think?"

"I don't know, you are the beep-boop here. You should know." Said Patrick, resenting the sudden question.

"And I'm asking you."

"No, they don't." Patrick said.

The answer was so sudden Karen couldn't help to be taken aback by it.

"Beep-boops don't feel, they are like boxes. And boxes are great, but in the end, they are just boxes. Troop is a cool box though."

"Patrick, how can you say that?" SpongeBob intervened. "Of course Troop has a soul. He is our friend, he talks, he feels, he thinks. What other proof do we need?"

"Actually SpongeBob, it's not that simple." Interrupted Sandy. "Any machine can do that! You only must program it to do whatever you want it to and it will do it. It doesn't mean they have souls."

"But if they can feel…"

"Machines don't feel, SpongeBob, they just simulate. They exist outside of nature." Sandy bit her tongue and fixed her eyes on Karen. "But…but machines can be upgraded, so they can grow. In a sense, we aren't so different. Besides, what's a soul anyway? Nobody knows for sure."

Karen knew what she was trying to do. It was obvious to the point of being embarrassing.

Still, she couldn't get mad at Sandy.

She had simply stated her honest opinion without any emotional filter. Didn't Karen do the same all the time? Wasn't it the reason she was often considered to be too straightforward, even cruel?

"You're right Sandy. Nobody knows. I wish that was one of the options, so we could skip this boring conversation and get back into action." Although she gave no signs of being uncomfortable, Karen felt how her words increased the already palpable awkwardness growing between her and the others.

Patrick was the only one blissfully unaware of the situation. Karen never thought she would feel that way, but at that moment, she envied the dimwit with all her heart.

_Heart? What heart?_

_'_ _Wow._ ' Karen thought, amazed at her own harsh words. ' _I really am heartless, in more ways than one.'_

The phone call entered at the precise moment Karen thought her motherboard would melt with awkwardness.

Plankton. Who else could it be?

She excused herself and exited Sandy's house. The last thing she heard before leaving was SpongeBob's attempts to stop Patrick from accidently resetting the game again.

Once in the garden, she answered the call.

"Karen, is that you?"

"No, this is your conscience speaking. Of course it's me, dummy. What do you want?

"I love you too, _honey._ Listen, I need you come back home this moment. "

"Why? Did you get stuck in the bathroom again?"

"No! I mean, yes, but that's not the problem! Just get back here as quickly as possible!"

"Of course, your majesty, whatever you say. Your wishes are my command."

"Wow, I do like your new attitude."

"Sweet Neptune."

She hung up without giving Plankton the chance to say one more word.

She walked towards Sandy's home but stopped right in front of the door. From what she could hear, they were having fun.

She thought about it for a moment and decided it would be best to simply leave without telling them. It would be a bit rude, but it was better than going back and make everyone, herself included, feel uncomfortable again.

Karen left the tree dome as silently as she could. Outside, the streets were dark but not empty. As she walked across them, others greeted her.

She ignored them all.

She couldn't help it. Her mind was lost somewhere else.

Before she knew it, Karen found herself back home.

The Chum Bucket welcomed her as it always did, empty and in complete silence.

She walked toward the laboratory, where Plankton was waiting for her. She did it all mechanically, as if her body had acquired a mind of its own.

"Took you long enough." Plankton greeted without hiding his annoyance. "Anyway, come here computer wife, and see how I have managed to surpass my own genius once more. Okay that's close enough. Karen, you are too close. Karen? Karen, stop! KAREN!"

"Huh?" The crunching sound Plankton made under her weight made her react. "Oh, sorry. I didn't see you there. Were you saying something?"

After helping Plankton recover and listening to his ranting of how she had stepped on him on purpose, she allowed him to gloat about his newest invention.

Karen listened to him halfheartedly, but Plankton didn't seem to care. As long as someone, or something, was present to be the receptor of his endless speeches, he seemed satisfied.

"Behold! My latest invention!" Plankton exclaimed in the same manner a showman presents his next act. He pulled the cloak that covered his so-called ticket to success. What laid underneath was a gigantic, purple cube with a tiny disc slot located right in the middle.

"Impressive." Said Karen without emotion. "And what exactly am I looking at? It looks like a disproportionate washing machine."

"No, darling." Hissed Plankton, trying his best to keep his enthusiasm. "This is the Sassy Machine of Electronic Simulations, or SMES for short."

"Sassy? What's sassy about this dull cube? Given its design, _Simplistic_ would have fit better"

"Consider it a small reference in your honor, honey. After all, I was thinking of you when I made it."

"I'm gonna try real hard to take that as a compliment."

"I'm serious, I was thinking of you. In fact, you were my main inspiration."

"Don't push it, Plankton. I'm not in the mood."

"But you were my inspiration, that's true! You and your weekly videogame playing reunions with those three morons. I don't know why you insist in hanging around with those fools, and I don't care, but I am glad you did. Otherwise I never would have come up with this!"

"So that's what this thing is? A giant videogame console?"

"In a way, yes! And with it, I will finally get my hands on the secret formula! I'll finally win!"

After one of his laughing fits, Plankton stared at Karen happily.

His smile slowly vanished as the only thing he received from Karen was complete silence.

"Go to sleep, Plankton." Said Karen turning her back on her husband. "You are raving even more than usual. I'm going to bed, and you should do the same."

She went toward their bedroom, and it didn't take long for Plankton to go after her. She didn't wait for him or even looked at him.

She was tired, and going into sleep mode was her top priority.

"So that's it? I show you my greatest invention, even name it after you somehow, and you just don't care?" He said from behind her back. "Computer wife, don't you ignore me!"

"And what do you want me to say? You built a big videogame console. Congratulations." She snapped at Plankton. "There, are you happy now?"

"It's not only a videogame console, Karen!" Plankton blocked her way. "It's much more! Didn't you hear me? It is a Sassy Machine of Electronic Simulations, or SMES for short."

"That doesn't tell me anything other than you are not that good with abbreviations and names."

"For the love of Neptune, do I have to explain everything to you?" Plankton rolled his eye. "To put it simple, this is what it does: videogame disc goes in, a virtual reality goes out. And in that reality, we are the protagonists of whatever game we put in."

Karen, to her surprise, found herself a bit intrigued.

"Alright. And that ties to the Krabby Patty formula how?" She already had an idea of what Plankton would say, but she allowed her husband the small pleasure of explaining his plan.

Whatever to improve his mood and avoid his early-morning rantings.

"Reality can often be disappointing, Karen." Plankton's voice lost its edge. Karen felt the sudden need to try and actually listen to what he had to say. "If my constant failures have taught anything, is that. In this reality, I always lose. But what if in another reality, this could be changed? In a reality where we are the protagonists, the odds are bound to be in our favor, and if that's the case, we could win!"

Karen nodded. That gesture alone made Plankton's eye gleam.

"We transform this reality into the game's reality, we make some minor adjustments to it so that Krabs is the final boss and the secret formula is the final reward. All we have to do then is play, win, get the formula, learn its secrets and exit the game! Once we know how to produce our own Krabby Patties, we will be able to rule the fast food kingdom as king and queen!"

"Okay, not to be negative, but what makes you think you can win the game? You suck at videogames."

"True, but a certain yellow blabbermouth told me you are very good at them, especially at the one you've been playing the last three months. What's its name? _Aggregation Reaction_ or something?"

"I knew you would drag me along into this the moment you started using the pronoun _we_ so much in your sentences."

"What can I say? Think about it as one of our love adventures. Besides, I won't be able to do it without you, sweetie."

"I…I don't know, Plankton. I'll think about it."

"We'll do it first thing tomorrow morning! Now we rest. Building the SMES left me exhausted." Plankton said with renewed determination as he yawned and stretched.

Karen wondered if he hadn't heard her last words, or if he had ignored he. Both options were equally possible, though the latter a little more than the former.

Upset by this, Karen decided to ask the question that had been whispering in her mind. She would have preferred to ask it in the morning, once her mind was clear and focused after a night of rest, but she had allowed Plankton his small moment of self-indulgence.

He owed her that much.

"Wait, Plankton."

"What is it now, Karen?" He asked as he rubbed his eye. "Can't you see I'm tired?"

"I have something to ask you."

"If it is about how I unstuck myself from the bathroom, I'll tell you in the morning. It's quite the story."

"No, it's not about that!"

"What is it then?" He crossed his arms. "Ask woman, before I lose consciousness."

"Do I have…? Well, do you think that I…?"

"What? You are starting to sound like that starfish. Maybe you shouldn't spend more time with him. His stupidity may be airborne."

"Do I have a soul?"

The question lingered between them, unanswered.

Karen instantly regretted having asked it.

Plankton tilted his head. Slowly, he began to laugh.

It wasn't his usual laughter. It was free of malice, and it came directly from his heart, almost like a child's.

"Where did that come from?" He asked after wiping a tear from his eye. "Karen, you say the wittiest things."

"Just answer me, Plankton."

"Karen, baby, you don't need my answer! You already know it yourself!"

"I know?"

"Of course!"

"But what do I know exactly? I know I function, but I am not alive. I process things, but I don't think. I simulate, but I don't feel. I…"

"Woah slow down a little. This is too much! Seriously, where did all this come from?" Exclaimed Plankton, a bit dizzy.

"From the game. There was this part that just left me wondering…" Karen would have blushed if she had the blood, veins and heart necessary to do so.

"I thought games were supposed to be relaxing!"

"They are." Said Karen, getting agitated. "They are usually amusing, I didn't expect it to give me an identity crisis!"

"One more reason to avoid them. Except for tomorrow, of course!" Plankton looked at Karen and smiled. "Don't let those stupid games confuse you, honey. You are above it."

"It just…" Karen looked at her hands. "It really upset me, and I'm not sure if it is because I don't know the answer, or because I know the answer and I don't want to face it."

"Listen." Plankton urged as sweetly as his tiredness allowed. "You don't have to doubt anything, and if it my answer you want, then I'll give it to you. Yes, you do."

Karen's heart, if she had it, would have melted.

Plankton then stood by her side and rested his head against her.

"Come on. Let's get some rest, honey."

That simple gesture was enough to convince Karen, even against her better judgement, that Plankton meant what he said.

"You are quite the sweet talker." She said as they went to their room. Her voice was free of scorn.

"Tell me something I don't know."

"I don't think you have the lifespan to hear it all."

"Hello sarcasm, I missed you these two minutes you were gone." Plankton yawned again. "By the way, you do have that videogame with you, right?"

"It is SpongeBob's, but don't worry. I'll make him bring it here in the morning."

"Why would that fool even buy that game? It seems to be a bit above his…understanding."

"I think he mistook it for the one he really wanted. I don't think he and Patrick would have passed the first level without my help and Sandy's."

"The first level? Please, without you, those idiots would never have gone past the main menu."

"Plankton!" Karen couldn't help to laugh.

"Hey, it's true."

"Maybe you're right." Said Karen, feeling her how uneasiness slowly vanished.

"I'm always right, Karen." Said Plankton as if he was stating the obvious. "You should know that by now."

* * *

"Is Karen coming back? It's her turn again and she still has to choose an option."

"She isn't coming back, SpongeBob. She's already gone."

"She could have said goodbye. Leaving like that wasn't very nice of her."

"Well, what we said wasn't very nice either." Said Sandy as she saved the game and then turned off the console and the TV.

Patrick was snoring loudly in the couch, his mouth and chin covered with candy crumbles and drool.

"What do you mean?" Asked SpongeBob, genuinely confused. "Did I say something wrong? I'm sorry…"

"No, it wasn't you." Sandy scratched the back of her head. "And I'm not sure I can blame Patrick for what he said either. I think this one is all on me."

"Sandy, what are you saying? You didn't do anything!"

"Like I said, it's not about something I did but about something I said."

"You mean about the thing of Troop having a soul or not?" SpongeBob helped Sandy to clean the room.

"Yeah."

"But why would she get mad about that? I don't get it."

"She is a machine, SpongeBob." Said Sandy as she and SpongeBob carried the dirty dishes to the kitchen and dropped them in the sink. "And what I said about them existing out of nature and not being able to have souls or feelings…I got carried away with it."

"Don't worry Sandy. I'm sure Karen didn't take it the bad way." SpongeBob said after putting all the litter in the bin. "But if you are so worried she did, you could give her a call and explain her what you really meant."

"But I meant what I said, Bob." Sandy sighed. "It's just that it's so easy to forget that Karen is a machine sometimes."

"That's true. Except for Patrick, he still thinks all robots are magical talking boxes." SpongeBob felt happy to see Sandy smile at his comment.

Patrick moved and talked in his dreams.

"I better get him home before he starts sleepwalking and destroying everything in his path." With little effort, SpongeBob put Patrick on his shoulder and carried him like a sack of potatoes.

"Wow, you've gotten a lot stronger since we first met." Said Sandy.

"And no Anchor Arms this time." Said SpongeBob with pride.

"Don't get carried away. You've still to get admitted into the Salty Spitoon again."

"One day soon it will happen, juts you wait and watch."

Sandy accompanied SpongeBob to the tree dome's exit.

"See you next week, Sandy. And chin up, okay? Karen will be back as if nothing had happened, you'll see!" He said with confidence. Patrick seconded him in dreams with a drowsy _you'll see._

Sandy nodded, but her unsureness about that statement didn't go unnoticed by SpongeBob. He tried to say something, but he wasn't sure what else there was to say.

On his way back home, he wondered about the whole situation again.

"I mean, we don't even know if Karen actually got angry." He said to Patrick, who answered him with a snore. "Maybe she just needed to go back home quick."

" _Home…mommy_ …" Patrick chuckled and sucked his thumb.

"Though if someone said I have no soul, I'd probably get mad too…" SpongeBob shook his head and frowned. "But she does have a soul! I'm sure she does."

" _Boxes…no souls_."

"Patrick, that's not helping." SpongeBob began to understand how Karen had felt. "Oh, she must be really angry at us! I would be angry at us too! We must find a way to set this right. The Sponge-Squirrel-Star Gaming Club can't lose its newest member! But what can we do? Maybe we could send her flowers…Nah, Plankton would probably destroy us."

" _I don't wanna go to school…I want to party_."

"Patrick, that's it!" SpongeBob snapped his fingers, which made Patrick wake up for a second. Fortunately for him, he fell asleep immediately. "We'll give Karen the greatest party ever! And it will be not just a simple party, but a gaming party! We'll take all our games, a lot of food, and play all day long! And to make sure she knows she does have a soul, we'll make her feel like the soul of the party!"

SpongeBob began to laugh without control. He could already imagine the fun they would have.

"I have so much to prepare!" He said in excitement as he opened Patrick's rock house and dropped him in. "Bye, Patrick. Sleep well, because tomorrow, we party! I wonder If Squidward would like to come."

With renewed spirits, and completely ignoring the fact it was almost midnight, SpongeBob ran happily to his home and began preparing everything he needed for the party, with the reluctant help of Gary.

Then, an idea came to him.

"I was saving this game until we completed our current playthrough of _Aggregation Reaction,_ Gary." He said as he eagerly took the disc out of its box. He then raised it as if it was the lost treasure of Atlantis. "But tomorrow seems like a better chance to play it for the first time! They will be so surprised!"

His laughter became so loud that for an instant, it was heard through all Bikini Bottom.

It made Squidward curse and put on his ear plugs; Patrick chuckled in dreams; Sandy's ears twitched; Plankton growled and covered his face with his pillow.

Karen was the only one who gave no signs of having heard the laugh, but it did reach her, and transformed her empty sleep mode into a feeling that, if she was alive, could have been considered a dream.


	2. The Surprise

As it was her daily routine, Karen mopped the floors and scrubbed the tables in the restaurant after she was finished dusting all the matrass and inventions in the laboratory.

She knew no costumers would come to see the fruits of her labor, but she didn't see this as an excuse to let the Chum Bucket rot in its own filth and rust.

Every day, she got up early in the morning so she would finish cleaning before opening time. In the meanwhile, Plankton would continue to sleep and dream of world domination.

However, that day, when she woke up, Plankton was no longer in bed.

It didn't surprise her.

Karen knew very well where her husband was.

He had locked himself in his studio. He did this a couple of times each month, usually either before Karen got up or after she went into sleep mode.

It was a habit that went back from the time Karen had first been activated.

Whatever he did inside was something Plankton kept completely to himself.

Once, a few years ago, Karen's curiosity had gotten the best of her, and she had questioned Plankton about it. More than asked, she had demanded an answer, and her monotonous voice hadn't concealed the growing jealousy that had been accumulating inside her.

Plankton had stared at her, his eye squinted in a reproaching look that made Karen feel guilty.

"Respect my privacy, Karen. Just because we are married it doesn't mean we have to get involved into each other's business all the time."

Back then, the answer had made her furious. She had thrown Plankton out of the Chum Bucket for hours. She didn't allow him back inside until midnight, after he had sung her his whole repertory of love ballads and promised her that, whatever he did in his studio, it was nothing she should worry about.

Karen hadn't believed him, she still didn't, but she had concluded that what Plankton had said wasn't unreasonable or unfair.

He could be clingy and jealous at times, but he usually gave her her own space, and didn't intrude in her business or checked her stuff behind her back.

If Plankton did that for her, she could do the same for him.

His secretiveness about the whole thing still bothered her, but she had learnt to let it slide.

After all, whatever Plankton did in his studio really had no consequence in their daily lives, so what good would it do if she kept worrying about it?

With organics, sometimes playing dumb was a requirement to keep the peace. Or in her case, it was a necessity to keep her marriage estable and happy.

After finishing scrubbing the last table, Karen looked at the clock hanging above the main door. Thirty minutes before opening time.

Good.

That's was more than enough time to to fill the napkins dispensers and then call SpongeBob.

She had just finished filling the first dispenser when she heard a knocking sound.

"Sheldon, is that you?" She asked. She looked around, but Plankton was nowhere to be seen.

Another knocking. It came from outside the main door.

Stunned by the unexpected guest, Karen put down the dispenser and looked through the door's window.

It was Sandy.

"What is she doing here?" Karen whispered to herself as she opened the door. "Sandy?"

"Karen, my gal pal!" Sandy greeted with a smile. There was something off about her, but Karen couldn't pin down what. "Long time no see!"

"Hasn't it been only like ten hours?"

"Well, that's almost half a day when you think about it." Sandy chuckled. She had mildly stuttered her words. "Anyway, I was hoping we could talk."

"Talk? Now?"

"Is that a problem?"

"No, not all. It's just a bit… unexpected." Karen did her best to sound affable. It wasn't that she resented Sandy's intrusion, but she had never been fond of unexpected changes. "Come on in."

"No!" Sandy exclaimed. Her cheeks turned crimson, and she tried to laugh it off. "Maybe we should talk outside! It's a beautiful day, and there's nothing like the warm morning sunlight in your face when you are talking with a friend."

"It's okay, Sandy. You don't have to pretend." Said Karen as she stepped outside and closed the door behind her. "I admit the Chum Bucket can be a bit depressing if you are not used to its…"

"Silent quietude?"

"I was going to say demoralizing desolation, but that works too."

Karen decided to humor her friend. After all, she had some time to spare.

They walked together and sat down on a bench near the roadway. From the other side of the street, Mr. Krabs was opening the Krusty Krab. He looked at them with a happy grin in the corner of his mouth and nodded.

Sandy answered with a wave of her hand. Karen simply nodded back at him.

"So what is it you wanted to talk about?" Karen asked Sandy.

"I have no idea."

"What?"

"I mean-" Sandy rubbed her hands uncontrollably and bit her lower lip. "How you've been?"

"You mean since last night?"

"Yes."

"Fines, I guess. Not much happened."

"How interesting!"

"Interesting? That's not how I would describe it." Karen gazed at Sandy with a confused expression. Her friend's smile twitched, as if her muscles were about to give in after being forced to keep that grin for so long. "What's the matter with you? You seem nervous."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do."

"Anyway, how's everything with Plankton?" Interrupted Sandy.

"Oh, you know. Same old, same old…" Karen said calmly, but she quickly adopted a more serious tone. "Wait, why are you asking me this? Is your interest in my love life so strong that you had to come see me this early in the morning? I don't know whether to be flattered or disturbed."

"You two make and interesting couple!"

"That's one way to put it…. Wait, you are digressing again! Listen, Sandy, it's not that I don't enjoy senseless blabbering, but you're acting weird. It's freaking me out a bit."

"I…I- "Sandy didn't say much beyond that.

"Look, let's talk more once you've calmed down a bit, alright? I'll be busy today, but I'll call you tomorrow. We could go for a coffee or something." Karen stood up. "I really have to go now. Take care, Sandy."

She had barely taken two steps when she felt Sandy's hand on her wrist.

"Wait." Sandy let go of Karen as soon as she got her attention. Her expression was back to normal now, and Karen could see honest shame in her eyes. "I'm sorry I acted like this. There's something I really wanted to talk about with you, but…Darn it, I'm not very good at this!"

"Just say it." Urged Karen firmly.

She wasn't angry, but one thing she had learnt through her experiences with organics was that the more they hesitated, the less likely it was for them to do or say what they wanted.

"I'm sorry."

"You've already said that. Just say what you really want to already."

"That's what I wanted to say." Repeated Sandy. "I'm sorry."

Karen felt how her circuits took a while to process that information.

"I don't think I understand." She admitted.

Sandy sighed and rubbed her frown with her fingers.

"I'm sorry about what I said last night." She spoke without looking at Karen. "I got carried away. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, Karen. I'm sorry."

Ah, so that's what it was. Karen should have known.

 _Organics._ She thought. _Always so sentimental._

She considered that characteristic was as amusing as it was endearing.

"It's alright Sandy." Karen said. "You didn't make me feel that way."

"Then, why did you leave without saying anything?"

"I…" It was Karen's turn to stutter. "Okay, I did feel uncomfortable, but it wasn't your fault. You spoke your mind, and I like that."

"Still, I shouldn't have said what I said."

"No, what you did wasn't wrong." Karen put a hand on her shoulder. "Sandy, do you know hard it is to find someone who will tell me what they truly think of me? Most of them don't understand me enough to give me an opinion worth hearing, others are afraid I will go rouge if they make me angry, while others just don't think the questions of a robot are worth answering. Sometimes, even what Sheldon tells me feels…"

Karen stopped herself before she spoke too much. Those were thoughts she didn't feel like sharing, at least not in that moment.

"Please." She continued, acting is the last sentence hadn't left her mouth. "Don't ever stop being honest with me. Even if you think that what you say is harsh, even if I get upset, even if I don't like what I hear, don't stop doing it."

Sandy opened her mouth, but said nothing. Instead, she nodded in agreement.

Her expression had relaxed. Karen felt relieved too.

She knew well this sort of little misunderstandings could become unsolvable if they were left unspoken.

"Boy, I feel as if a statue had been lifted from my shoulders." Said Sandy. "So…do you still want to be part of the Sponge Squirrel Star Gaming Club?"

"Of course I do. I can't abandon you all now." Karen folder her arms and gave Sandy a smug grin. "You'd be lost without me."

"Your humbleness is inspiring."

Their laughter was interrupted by the deafening echo of three screaming voices.

They looked at the Chum Bucket at the same time.

"SpongeBob! Patrick!" Exclaimed Sandy. She ran off before Karen had the chance to ask any questions.

Karen followed closely behind her. The screams had shaken her to the core, and while a tiny part of her feared for the sponge and the starfish, her thoughts were all focused on one person.

_Sheldon._

It was all she could think of.

From inside the Krusty Krab, Mr. Krabs caught a glance of the two women, and thought how never in his life he had seen someone run so fast.

* * *

The three friends stopped behind the Chum Bucket.

"Here we are!" SpongeBob said. He put down a box filled with games and the console.

"I've told you SpongeBob, I'm not good at this."

"Don't worry Sandy, you'll be fine. Just keep her distracted for a few minutes while me and Patrick set up the party."

"Something tells me Karen is not very fond of surprise parties..."

"Don't be silly Sandy. Everyone loves surprise parties, even Squidward!" Added Patrick. He was carrying a box stuffed with snacks and sodas. It had taken every ounce of his self-control not to engulf it all on his way to the Chum Bucket.

"Alright, I'll do it." Said a mortified Sandy. "But hurry up! And don't let Plankton see you. I don't want him to make a scene out of this."

"We can deal with Plankton." Said SpongeBob.

"We'll just step on him."

"Patrick, remember we agreed to do that only as our last resort."

"Oh, right. Sorry."

"Just be careful you two." Said Sandy. She left, wondering in silence why she had even agreed to take part in that scheme.

SpongeBob and Patrick waited until Sandy and Karen were far away from the Chum Bucket before their next move.

"Okay, now it's our chance!" Said SpongeBob.

He used Patrick's shoulders as a stair to climb his way into the Chum Bucket's laboratory through an opened window.

Once inside, he became ready to catch the two boxes Patrick threw at him through the window. He managed to catch them without making much noise.

"Now it's your turn, Patrick." He announced as softly as possible. A second later, his whole body became crushed under Patrick's wait.

"Good thing I landed on a pillow." Patrick got up. "Oh, it's just you SpongeBob."

He helped him back on his feet.

SpongeBob swiftly put a hand on Patrick's mouth and hushed him. Luckily for them both, Plankton didn't seem to have heard them.

"Remember Patrick." He whispered in the other's ear. "Nice and quiet."

"What? I can't hear you!"

He covered Patrick's mouth again. Perhaps the less he explained and the sooner they got into action, the better.

He handed over the snacks box to Patrick and ordered him with hand signs to put them in a table nearby.

Patrick complied happily, and though his work was messy at best, SpongeBob didn't have the heart to chide him.

At the same time, SpongeBob opened the box where the games were and took a bag filled with balloons and confetti. Using his mouth and the holes in his face, he managed to get all the balloons ready in a matter of seconds.

As for the confetti, he tossed it around the laboratory while skipping like a little child. He also put some decorations on the walls and on Plankton's deactivated inventions scattered all around the laboratory's floor.

The place soon began to look livelier. They were almost done, and all there was left was to install the console into the big screen that Karen had once used as her preferred physical body.

SpongeBob carried the console to the screen.

He grabbed the cables and prepared to plug them in, but he felt strangely uncomfortable doing so. He wasn't sure why.

"Something tells me that if Plankton saw me, he would destroy me."

He gulped. He knew he had to hurry, but he hadn't expected that obstacle.

"SpongeBob!" Patrick said in a decently low voice.

"Not now Patrick, I'm in a bit of a tight spot."

"Seriously, look at this!"

"Not so loud!" SpongeBob turned around.

His jaw dropped to the floor and his heart skipped a beat.

He left the console forgotten on the floor and went to Patrick's side. His friends was no less in awe than him.

"Holy fish paste!" SpongeBob said with teary eyes.

"I've never seen anything this beautiful since the donut I had for breakfast." Said Patrick. In his hand, he held the old, white cloak that had covered his new discovery.

"What kind of console is this anyway?" SpongeBob caressed the giant purple cube and examined it so closely that his eyes watered. "I don't think it's out in the market yet. No, scratch that. It hasn't even been announced!"

"Karen must be well connected." Said Patrick. "I wonder if she can help me get some of those discontinued barnacle chips. I miss them so much."

"Oh Patrick! With my new game and this shady but unique console, this party is going to be legendary!"

"Yeah!"

"Woo-hoo!"

"YEEHAW!"

"OH BOY!

"What's all that noise?!"

The angry, meddling voice brought SpongeBob back to his senses. He tried to silence Patrick, but it didn't matter.

Plankton was already there. He had stormed out of his studio so quickly that SpongeBob was surprised the floor hadn't caught fire.

SpongeBob giggled and gave him an awkward smile.

"Hi Plankton."

"SpongeBob? What are you doing here? Are you here to lend us your game?" Plankton's initial calmness vanished as he noticed how his lab had been reduced to a poor imitation of a party saloon for kids. "You monsters! What have you done to my precious laboratory?"

"Wait, we can explain!"

"Get out! Karen, kick them out of here. Karen!"

"Shh." SpongeBob threw himself at Plankton and forced him to shut up. "Just listen."

As Plankton struggled in his hand, SpongeBob explained everything to him about the surprise party he had prepared for Karen, but Plankton didn't seem to be listening. Still, SpongeBob continued.

"…and that's why are gonna have this party. You can join us too, I'm sure that'll make Karen happy."

Plankton struggled against SpongeBob's hand. The veins around his eye stood up like overgrown roots.

"Plankton, please cooperate. I basically had to beg Mr. Krabs to give me the day off, and Patrick and Sandy had to call off very important meetings."

"Not to mention I'm going to miss the new episode of Mermaid Man Reloaded. The sacrifices I make for my friends…" Lamented Patrick from behind SpongeBob.

Plankton's eye was fixed on Patrick. He became even more agitated, but SpongeBob gave him no chance of breaking free.

"Listen. Karen and Sandy will come back any second now." He said. "We are doing this for Karen. It would be mean of you if you ruin this with one of your meltdowns. I'm going to let you go, but first you must promise me you'll try to be nice. If nor for us, then do it for Karen. What do you say? One blink for yes, two blinks for no."

Plankton, his eye still fixed on Patrick, winked several times. His muffled voice sounded desperate.

"What? Sorry, can you do it slower again?" Asked SpongeBob shyly.

"Forget it SpongeBob. Just step on him."

"Patrick, Plankton may be a barnacle head but-" SpongeBob turned around. His grip one Plankton loosened. "Patrick, what are you doing?"

Just as he spoke, Patrick inserted his new game inside the gigantic purple console.

"What? I just want to test it before the party starts." He shrugged.

"We were supposed to wait for Karen and Sandy!" Said an angry SpongeBob.

"It's just a little test…"

"You big, pink imbecile!" Plankton screamed. He stood bravely before Patrick , but the starfish remained unimpressed. "Do you have any idea of what you've done?!"

"Enough of you." Patrick lifted his foot.

Before he could squash Plankton, and before SpongeBob even had the chance to stop them, a blinding white light emerged from the console's slot and engulfed them like fire.

The three of them screamed in unison.

Moments later, Karen and Sandy came in running. The last thing SpongeBob Saw before his reality became a white space of nothingness was Karen's surprised expression.

She was screaming a name.

SpongeBob tried to reach her, as he tried to reach Sandy, Patrick and Plankton, but the light swallowed them all in an instant.

Soon, it engulfed all of Bikini Bottom and its habitants. It caught them off guard, and it happened so quickly that most had no time to understand what was going on.

The light engulfed Mrs. Puff as she was driving to her school. It engulfed Larry as he was exercising in the gym. It engulfed Pearl as she talked with her friends on the phone.

However, the first one to be engulfed by it, besides SpongeBob and the rest, was Mr. Krabs.

His last thought before he disappeared was if, somehow, that light could be one of Plankton's schemes to steal the Secret Formula.


	3. The Plan

_**REBOOTING** _

_**ERROR** _

_**PROBLEM DETECTED** _

_**INITIATING REPAIRING PROTOCOL** _

"Karen!"

_**REPAIRING…** _

_**REPAIRING…** _

_**REPAIRING…** _

"Karen! You have to wake up!"

_**RESTORATION AT 90%** _

"KAREN!"

Karen gasped as she came back to her senses.

Her body felt limp and heavy, and her sight was nothing more than a blurry collage of low-quality pixels chaotically smashed together.

"Thank goodness!" Said the voice that had woken her up.

It was Plankton.

Karen looked at him. He was little more than a foggy mixture of color palettes.

Fear began to overwhelm her.

Unlike organics, her senses of smell and touch were close to being nonexistent. Without her sight, she felt lost, as if she had been disconnected completely from reality.

Even if she still could hear perfectly, it felt like a poor compensation, as if she had traded gold for copper.

She started to hit her head with her fists, hoping it would help her vision, but all she managed to do was give herself a headache.

"Hurry Karen!" Plankton took her hand and forced her back on her feet. His movements were harsh and forceful. "We have to move!"

As she was being dragged away, Karen tried to analyze her situation. She looked into her memory banks, fortunately undamaged, and searched for an answer.

Soon, she found it.

Patrick, that idiot culprit.

He had activated the SMES.

Anger made her diodes fume, but she calmed herself down. There was no time for petty regrets.

She had to put all her attention on finishing fixing her sight.

That proved to be easy only in theory, and the constant bumps on her head she suffered as Plankton relentlessly dragged her did nothing to help.

"Wait." She told him after running for what had felt like an eternity. "Stop! I need to finish my repairs. My system is still damaged, I can't see."

"We can't stop! The Chum Bucket is overridden by those…things!" Plankton said in between gasps. "Seriously, what kind of game is this? Who could enjoy this abomination? That sponge kid needs professional help!"

His words confused Karen.

"What do you mean?" She said. "Plankton, what are you seeing?"

Her husband stopped. Karen crashed against his back.

The two of them fell to the floor. The next thing Karen felt was how Plankton dragged her by the shoulders and rested her back against a wall. He sat next to her and put a finger in her mouth.

"Quiet." He whispered. Karen's sensors detected his accelerated heartbeat. If she focused, she could hear it faintly. "Oh, Neptune."

He held her hand.

More than a kind gesture, it was an instinctive reaction caused by his fear. Karen didn't mind, and even found some comfort in it.

She took advantage of their momentary rest to finish her repairs.

_**REASSUMING REPARATIONS** _

_**REPAIRING…** _

_**REPAIRING…** _

_**REPAIRING…** _

_**RESTORATION AT 99%** _

Her sight came back.

Her world became clear, but what should have been a moment of joy was a one of dread.

The Chum Bucket, if it could still be called that way, had become a dark maze, with rusty chains hanging from the walls and spider webs covering every corner.

"What is this place?" She asked.

"Shh!" Insisted Plankton. "He's near."

Karen didn't ask what he was talking about. She could see it for herself.

Behind the broken wall that served as their improvised shelter roamed a gigantic red creature.

It growled as it moved. Its steps made the floor tremble.

"Is that…" Karen said in a low voice as she looked at the deformed monster. Its grotesque figure still held the essence of the being it had once been. "Krabs?"

"This is bad." Plankton said. His eye was so opened Karen though it would fall from his face. "We aren't ready to fight the final boss, we don't have weapons, we haven't even stolen the formula yet. That pink idiot really messed it up! Oh Karen, I wish you had told me what kind of game this was… I would have judged you, but I also would have been prepared, at least psychologically."

"This isn't _Aggregation Reaction._ " Karen looked at her surroundings. "I have no recollection of this place. I have never played this game before."

"That is worse." Plankton said with contagious negativity. "Now what do we do?"

"What you said before." Karen said, feigning conviction. She had to, otherwise, she feared the two would stay hidden and cowering in fear behind that wall for all time. "We have to get out of here."

"Of course." Plankton said with pride. "I'm a genius."

"Shut up and let's get on with it." Karen rolled her eyes and ignored Plankton's gloating. She peeked from behind the wall. Krabs, or the creature he had transformed into, was busy digging into a pile of dust and bones. Next to him, in a corridor illuminated by a torch, was a rusty door. "Now's our chance. Let's get to that door before he-"

A shadow appeared before them, springing out from a dark puddle that had materialized on the floor.

They screamed.

It was Plankton who managed to shut up first, but it was Karen who found the strength to react and kick that monster away from them.

The shadow hissed at them and disappeared from the same hole it had come from, but the damage was already done, and no soon it was gone than the floor began to tremble under the Krab's colossal feet.

He wasn't walking.

He was running.

Karen and Plankton only had time to look at each other before Krabs pulverized the wall that had kept them safe and grabbed them both with his deformed claws.

He held each in one claw. His grip was so strong Karen thought she would snap in half like a twig.

She looked at Plankton and saw him struggle to break free. She did the same, but it was in vain.

"Me formula." Krabs' voice, just like his body, was a disgusting parody of its former self. He drew Plankton closer to his face. His whole attention was devoted to him. Karen could only watch as she lay forgotten in his other claw. "You won't take…me formula."

Little clouds of red smoke came together with every word Krabs said. They made Plankton cough, and he became paler the more he breathed it.

"Sheldon!" Karen screamed.

She began to struggle.

_**WARNING** _

_**HARDWARE DAMAGE DETECTED** _

She didn't care.

_**WARNING** _

_**WARNING** _

_**WARNING** _

"Hey!" Shouted a new voice. "Let go of them, you oversized doofus!"

A white beam hit Krabs in the face. He growled in pain and let go of both Karen and Plankton. He hid its injury behind his giant claws.

Before Karen could crash against the floor, someone caught her at the last second.

"Nice catch, SpongeBob!"

"Patrick, don't forget to catch Plankton!"

"Oh, right." Karen heard how Plankton flumped against the Patrick's arms. "Just in time!"

"Don't you stand there like cactuses." Urged Sandy. She was carrying a weapon similar to one of Plankton's inventions. "Let's get out of here before he recovers!"

For once, neither SpongeBob nor Patrick protested.

Sandy took the front. She used the weapon to keep them safe from the crawling shadows that blocked their path.

One of them managed to scratch her in the arm. She hissed in pain, but managed to keep going.

When they made it to the door, she opened it and hurried SpongeBob and Patrick to cross it first.

Patrick went out first, screaming like crazy as he clumsily carried a confused Plankton.

SpongeBob, just slightly more composed than his friend, was next. Karen didn't understand how he hadn't fainted yet, or how he had managed to dodge Mr. Krabs' feet when they had passed near him.

Once they were outside, Sandy crossed the door and close it behind her. Had she closed it a second later, they would all have been crushed by a boulder Krabs tossed at them.

The rock made a thunderous sound as it hit the metal, and it came together with a long roar from Mr. Krabs.

Its echo distorted Karen's vision again, and she felt herself fall to the ground.

From what she could see beyond her distorted reality, SpongeBob, Patrick, Sandy and Plankton, who had also been dropped, gnashed their teeth and covered their ears.

Patrick fell to his knees and began to scream, but his voice was nullified by Krab's deafening roar.

Just when they thought it would never stop, it did.

The silence that followed was empty. It brought relief, but also exhaustion.

Karen was the first to recover. She went to Plankton first.

"Oh, my dear wife, I think this is it for me." He grunted as he laid on his back and closed his eye. he raised his arms towards the sky. "I'm going to the light, Karen! Don't forget to steal the formula in my honor!"

"Oh, cut that out, you big baby." Karen said. She grabbed his arms and made him sit down, which earned her one of Plankton's typical pouts and glares of indignation. She scanned him quickly and found only minor bruises and injuries. "You'll live."

"Maybe, but we could have died back there." Plankton said, trying to justify his previous drama.

"But we didn't, all thanks to our three unlikely heroes." Karen turned around and faced the others. Quickly, she scanned them all. They weren't injured, and though Sandy's wound was a bit deep, Karen doubted it was something serious.

"Oh, we are no heroes." Said SpongeBob with blushed cheeks. He was patting Patrick in the back.

The starfish, still trying to pull himself together, couldn't help to smile at the compliment.

"I've always wanted to be a hero." He smiled with childish illusion.

"Keep dreaming, because right now, you are everything but a hero!" Plankton exclaimed at him. He was suddenly standing next to Karen, his face distorted with rage. "Right now, you are the idiot who almost got us killed! You are the villain, an idiot villain! Those are the worst kind."

His words crushed Patrick's spirit. His eye became glazed with tears and his mouth twitched.

Before SpongeBob had the chance to say anything, Patrick let himself fall flat on the floor.

"It's okay, Patrick. You are not the villain." The look he gave Plankton almost made him cower. "Apologize to him!"

"Apologize? For what? For saying the truth?" Said Plankton with scorn. "I meant everything I said. That fool caused all this. And you too, SpongeBob. If you two hadn't been messing around in my laboratory, this never would have happened! Nice job indeed."

"We…we were just trying-"

"That doesn't matter! Look at where we are now." Plankton widened his arms. "We are in this…this weird excuse for a game, all because of you! This wasn't supposed to happen."

"And what was supposed to happen exactly, Plankton?" Inquired Sandy. Her wound was now bandaged with a seaweed. "Let me remind you that it was your machine which caused all this. And you didn't build it without a good reason, did you? Knowing you, this somehow was going to be one your unnecessary complicated schemes to steal the Secret Formula. Am I wrong?"

Plankton glared at her and crossed his arms.

"That's none of your business, just like you and your two freak friends had no business being in my restaurant."

"What does that mean?" Intervened Karen. Her tone gave no room for negatives. "Explain yourselves, all of you!"

It was Sandy who told Karen everything about the surprise party SpongeBob had prepared for her. Ashamed, the sponge looked at the floor and played with his thumbs during the whole explanation. Patrick kept crying, his whimpers muffled by his tears and the floor.

Plankton grew more annoyed every second, to the point he turned his back on all of them, as if their presence had become unbearable.

On the other hand, Karen listened in silence.

Once Sandy was finished, she couldn't find what words she should say. Whatever anger she had previously felt towards Patrick vanished, and a more tender sentiment took its place.

"Well." It was everything she managed to say. Not wanting the others to perceive the storm of emotions taking place inside her, she simply nodded at SpongeBob. "You didn't mean to do this, but what's done is done. Let's just focus in getting out of here alive."

It came out a lot harsher than she intended. Plankton approved of her tone and rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Let's go, Karen. We don't need them."

"Of course you do." Said Sandy. "We just saved you both, didn't you? We explained ourselves, now you owe us an explanation, Plankton!"

"I owe you nothing. We never asked you to save us." Said Plankton with a victorious grin. "Sorry Sandy, but you shouldn't do a good deed without first asking if there's a reward."

"You little…"

"They saved us, Sheldon." Karen looked at him the same she did whenever they were about to start an argument.

"Karen, you are going soft." He uttered at her, feeling betrayed. Reluctantly, and with very little enthusiasm, he explained to them the SMES's true function.

Predictably, he omitted the 'stealing secret formula' part, and instead said he had built it solely to please Karen after he had discovered videogames were her new favorite hobby.

"Wow! So are we inside the game?" Asked SpongeBob, his eyes shinning with happiness.

"No, you twit. It's the game which is outside." Plankton rolled his eye. "Our reality has become the virtual reality of the game. In other words, it has adapted itself to the game's coding. What is so difficult to understand? It's not as if it was rocket science."

"Wow." Repeated SpongeBob, even happier. "This is the best invention ever! Did you hear that, Patrick?"

Patrick, who had long stopped crying, answered with a snore.

"So is that your idea of a gift? A simulator that shapes reality into whatever game you put inisde it?" Sandy asked with a raised eyebrow as Plankton nodded with pride. Then, she looked at Karen. "Nothing is ever simple with him, is it?"

"You don't know half of it." Karen said.

"Hey! I'm standing right here, you know." Plankton's conceit transformed into offense. "There, you got what you wanted. Now if you excuse us, Karen and I have a game to win."

"Yeah, about that…" Laughed SpongeBob nervously. He became more distressed when everyone's eyes were fixed on him. "We definitely should stick together, Plankton. It's the only chance we have of winning."

"What are you blabbering about? Explain yourself!"

"Well, I don't want to say that the game that Patrick put inside the SMES is _Gloom Animus_ , the most difficult to date." SpongeBob winked once. "But it is _Gloom Animus_ , the most difficult game to date."

"Oh no. You mean…you actually bought it, SpongeBob?" Sandy asked in surprise. "Not even I would dare to play it. Not after I destroyed so many controllers when I played the prequel. I still have nightmares about it."

"I know, but the story is so good! I was hoping we'd play it together today in Karen's party, but I didn't expect the experience would be so…realistic."

" _Gloom Animus?_ With that name, no wonder everything seems so dismal." Said Karen. For the first time, she looked at the world around her with attention.

Bikini Bottom's sky, always blue, was now grayish, and its flower-like clouds had been replaced by angular-shaped figures that hid most of the sunlight. The rest of the world seemed just as bleak. The trees were withered, the sand was drier than usual, the air smelt of smoke, and other than them, there was no other soul in sight.

"And no wonder why Krabs and those shadows were so aggressive and powerful back there." Said Plankton, his chin resting on his hand. "This is bad, real bad."

"Let me guess, if we die here, we die for good." Said Sandy, unimpressed. "Typical."

"That's not the case!" Grunted Plankton. "Alright, that's the case. What? You can't blame a formula when it works."

"Except when it doesn't work, and it's a stupid cliché that shouldn't be put into practice in real life." Continued Sandy.

"Does that mean we are all going to die?" SpongeBob panicked. He began to run in circles around the sleeping Patrick. "No, this is not happening. There's still so much I want to do! What will happen to my job? Who will take care of my Gary?"

"Don't worry about that. If we all die here, it's game over. Like, literally…for everyone. A game has no purpose without its protagonists, so if we are gone, so is all of Bikini Bottom." Plankton said in what, in his own way, were supposed to be words of comfort.

"Are you serious? Plankton, you knucklehead!" Sandy raised her fist.

"Save me, Karen!" Plankton took cover behind Karen. "That squirrel is rabid."

"Rabid? That's it, you are dead."

"We are all gonna die!"

_**OVERHEATING** _

_**INITIATING VENTING PROTOCOL** _

"ENOUGH!"

Karen's scream stopped Sandy as she was about to punch Plankton, who was screaming in horror and begging Sandy not to hit him in his eye. It also stopped the panicked SpongeBob and woke up Patrick, who began to ask who had taken away his pink blankie.

"Look at us! Fighting each other and acting as if we had no chance of getting out of here alive!" She said to all of them. "Have you all forgotten I'm here? I learn faster than all of you, I can decipher this game's gameplay and figure the best strategy to beat it within only a few minutes of practice. I can get us out of this mess, but I won't be able to do it if you don't cooperate."

She glared at Plankton and Sandy, leaving them embarrassed with themselves before walking towards SpongeBob and Patrick.

"SpongeBob. You are a fan of this game's story. I assume you are an expert of its lore, aren't you?"

Her question made him blush.

"Yes. I wouldn't call myself an expert, but…"

"Don't be coy with me." Karen stated. "Answer my question."

A slap in the face wouldn't have been more effective.

"Yes, I know a lot about it." He said as if he was a cadet before his captain. "I've read every novel, every guide, every theory, every extra material, every…"

"Then you know what we must do." Karen said. "We need you to guide us."

"But I have never played the game, Karen. It scared me, that's why I wanted to play it together with all of you." He said humbly. "I can't be the guide. I'm not a very good player. Before you and Sandy helped me and Patrick with _Aggregation Reaction_ , we didn't even go past the main menu."

"Ha! I told you." Laughed Plankton before Sandy silenced him with a slap in the back of the head.

"We'll do it together. All of us." Said Karen. "After all, this still is my surprise gaming party, isn't it?"

SpongeBob hesitated, but after some encouragement from a drowsy Patrick and Sandy, he agreed. It didn't take long for him to go back to his optimistic self, and soon he was eager to start his adventure.

"Alright everyone, this way!" He exclaimed as he pointed to the horizon. "Together, we are better than any other player in the world. No game is too difficult for the Sponge-Squirrel-Star- Computer-Plankton Gaming Club!"

"I never joined."

"Don't ruin the moment for him, Sheldon."

"I'm just making sure he doesn't get any ideas. I'm not planning on joining your silly gaming reunions. I have a reputation to keep."

"So do we." Said Sandy as she passed next to Plankton and Karen. "That's we haven't invited you yet."

"Leave me alone me already. Karen, say something to her."

"Let's just follow SpongeBob, okay?"

"As always, your support is greatly appreciated, computer wife."

They walked together, keeping their distance from the others.

"We'll make it, I know we will! We'll win, we'll save poor Mr. Krabs and everyone else and make everything go back to normal." Said SpongeBob as if he was leading a marching band.

"I'll be the muscle." Said Sandy with excitement, showing off the weapon she had used before.

"I'm the guide, so I guess I'll be the eyes." Added SpongeBob.

"Can I be the bladder?" asked a lively Patrick.

"At least he is self-aware." Plankton whispered to Karen.

"We wouldn't be here without you, Patrick." Said Sandy. Leave it to her to make an implicit accusation sound like a compliment. "It's only fitting that you are the heart."

"Huh. Not as good as a bladder, but okay!" Smiled Patrick.

"I'll be the brains." Said Plankton with a smug grin.

"Then I guess I'll be the voice of reason." Karen sighed. "As always."

"Dont be ridiculous! I think there's a role you'd fulfill better, Karen." SpongeBob said.

"Oh, really? And which one would that be, little sponge?" Inquired Karen, already expecting a silly answer.

SpongeBob turned around to look at her and smiled.

"The soul."

Just as his words reached her, a sentence flashed before Karen's eyes.

_**Restoration at 100%** _

* * *

It was Plankton who made Karen lose her train of thought.

"My, my." He whispered in her ear. "You've become quite the master speaker."

Karen chuckled. Not all of the pride she felt was fake.

"SpongeBob is of no use if he is sulking. I had to lift his spirits. Let him guide us until I manage to understand how this game works, then we'll be able to win the game by ourselves."

"Does that mean you're still up to proceed with our original plan?"

"Of course, my little overlord."

"Perfect." Plankton laughed. "Plan S begins now!"

"I didn't know you had assigned it a letter. What does it stand for?"

Plankton laughed under his breath.

"Simulation, Karen. I thought that much was obvious."

He laughed again, a little louder.

Karen joined him.

She did so without humor, but it still felt right.

She didn't know if Plankton shared the feeling, but in that moment, she felt closer to him that she had done in a long time.

 


	4. The Difficulty

There was something in the sound of that distant cry that made SpongeBob's blood freeze.

He almost screamed, but he managed to cover his mouth before it happened.

"Are you alright, Bob?" Sandy stood next to him.

The others stopped walking and began to ready themselves for battle.

At least Plankton and Karen did. Patrick just stood there, with his mouth open and his eyes lost in the distance.

"Y-yeah." SpongeBob put on a brave façade. "I just remember I left the stove on. I really hope Gary doesn't get too close to it. Last time he did, I had to take him to the vet."

The memory of his pet snail stung him more than he expected. He only wished Gary was safe and happy, no matter what the game had done to him.

It also gave him the courage he needed to keep himself from crying. Forcing a smile, SpongeBob turned around and waved at his friends. "Don't worry you guys, there's nothing to worry about!"

"It's okay SpongeBob, you don't have to pretend." Sandy put a hand on his shoulder. "I'll be the guide."

"What? No. We already agreed you'd be the muscle and I'd be the eyes." Spongebob said, a little offended. "Trust me, Sandy. I know what I'm doing."

Sandy looked at him, her eyes full of doubt.

"Alright." She finally said. "But if you ever feel overwhelmed, let me know."

"Okay." SpongeBob said without smiling. He understood her concerns, but he couldn't help to feel hurt by her lack of faith.

Still, it wasn't something to get overly upset about. All he had to do was prove her and everyone else that he was a capable guide.

It wasn't going to be easy, nothing in that game was, but it was worth trying. It wasn't like he and the rest had any other choice.

"Hey! Everyone, come this way!" He said to them as he began to guide them across an empty road surrounded by what seemed to be empty ruins and abandoned buildings.

"Do you really know where you are taking us, kid?" Plankton's bitter voice halted SpongeBob's steps. "We've been walking for a while now and I don't feel we are making any progress."

SpongeBob felt the weight of everyone's eyes on his back.

He swallowed and looked at the barren wasteland that the game had transformed Bikini Bottom into.

His beloved city hadn't only lost its harmonic atmosphere, it had also been rearranged in its totality.

For example, The Krusty Krab, or its virtual equivalent, was nowhere to be seen.

It was as if the city had been cut into pieces and then arranged into a new whole that, while still coherent, held no similarity to what it had been before.

SpongeBob's heart began to beat faster. He knew what they needed to do and where they needed to go, it was the _'how to do all that'_ part that caused him trouble.

"Of course I do, Plankton." He lied, and to his surprise, even Sandy seemed to buy his words. Feeling a little more confident, he too began to believe what he said. In a way, it wasn't a complete lie; it was more like a half-truth. "We just have to keep moving until we get to the Kelp Catacombs. There's where we'll find the weapon we need to defeat the shadows and the bosses."

"What's wrong with this baby?" Asked Sandy, holding her laser weapon. "My eyes sure don't lie to me. Back there, I saw the shadows I hit with it disappear. That sure was enough to get rid of them in the prequel."

"Yeah, but the developers changed that." SpongeBob said. "I think some players complained that it made the game too easy."

"Too easy? Are you kidding me?" Sandy said in shock.

"Nope. Sorry Sandy, but those monsters only will vanish for a few minutes. They will always spawn again." SpongeBob explained, happy to get the chance to demonstrate his knowledge. He then deepened his voice and raised his arm. "Only by wandering inside the Kelp Catacombs can we hope to obtain the weapon necessary to vanquish the shadows and save the world from everlasting oblivion!"

"Woah, easy there with the flowery language." Plankton pointed at Patrick. "You'll make this fool's head explode."

"I think it's already catching fire." Added Karen, keeping her distance from Patrick.

"Sorry, I was just quoting the phrase that was on the game's box." SpongeBob laughed. "Don't you worry, we'll be fine. We just-"

The same scream from before cut his words clean. A herd of shadows, varying in size from tiny to twice as big as Patrick, attacked them without warning.

One of them grabbed Plankton by the arm, but Karen managed to snatch her husband from it before he got hurt. Patrick tried to fight, but his clumsy attempts damaged him more than his enemies. If it hadn't been for Sandy, who protected him in the last second, he would have been taken away by them and never seen again.

The thought of losing his best friend helped SpongeBob fight his own fears. He transformed his hand into a fist and pulverized a small shadow that growled at him and blocked his path.

Sandy continued to battle the shadows. Plankton and Karen did their part too, but they lent little help to Sandy or Patrick.

"Keep going!" Sandy ordered as she pulverized four shadows with on single attack. "There aren't many left."

"No, stop fighting!" SpongeBob screamed. He squashed two tiny shadows. His heart hurt every time he destroyed one of those creatures, but he saw no other alternative. "We have to get out of here now!"

"As expected from the coward!" Plankton said after dodging, only by sheer luck, an attack powerful enough to blow him away into the sky. "But I agree with him. Let's get the hell out of here. Hurry, Karen!"

"But we can win this!" Argued Sandy. Her bandaged wound had reopened, and the seaweed had become soaked.

The sight of her own blood awoken something inside her. She growled in fury and aimed her weapon at the monsters. She shot, and the attack was powerful enough to decimate all the remaining enemies.

Afterwards, she fell to her knees, breathing heavily. Next to her, her weapon laid useless and destroyed on the ground.

"Sandy!" SpongeBob ran to her and knelt at her side. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I…think so." She clenched her teeth and grabbed her wound. "Don't worry, it's just a flesh wound. See? I told you we could defeat them."

"What the hell was that?" Asked Plankton. He and Karen looked at Sandy with equal amazement. "Why didn't you do that before? You were just waiting for the right moment to show off, weren't you? Mammals are so dramatic."

"Shut up, Plankton." SpongeBob said before putting a comforting hand on Sandy's shoulder. "Sandy, you are a brute!"

"I see some of Plankton's rudeness has rubbed off on you, Bob…"

"No! You are brute in this game. That's your class!" He exclaimed. "It's a new class! Powerful warriors armed with tremendous strength and a devastating ultimate attack capable of decimating dozens of enemies at once. Sure, it leaves you weakened in the aftermath and it breaks whatever weapon you were using, but it's a great class!"

"Karen, do you know what he's talking about?" Whispered Plankton to his wife.

"Not really, but let's not worry about it now." Karen then went to Sandy and helped her bandage her wound again. This time, they used SponegBob's tie. After getting Sandy back on her feet, Karen looked at SpongeBob. "I do have a question for you, SpongeBob. Why did you insist in running away back there?"

"Because he is a spineless crybaby." Plankton answered, but Karen ignored him.

SpongeBob hesitated. He watched how Sandy comforted a confused Patrick before answering.

"Well, that's because…"

He doubted again.

"Just say it, SpongeBob." Insisted Karen.

"We only have one life in this game. That's why it's considered the hardest game to date, not because of the relentless enemies and ruthless bosses. There are no checkpoints, no extra lives." SpongeBob continued. Even Plankton lost his sarcastic expression at this new piece of information. "If we lose once, we have to start over. That would be the case if we were playing it normally, but as things are now…"

"We lose once, it's game over. For all of us and all of Bikini Bottom." Karen said in his place. "We only have one chance."

SpongeBob nodded.

"Goodness. And I thought I had an evil mind." Plankton was pale. Karen thought he would faint. "What is wrong with those damned developers?! Yeah, let's add stupidly overpowered enemies and force the player fight them with weapons more fragile and useless than my grandma, and just to top it all, let's make them have only one life! So much fun, this garbage will sell millions, our fans will love it because they are bunch of stupid, masochistic morons!"

The veins on his face seemed like they would burst at any moment. He breathed heavily after he was done talking.

Just when it looked he had calmed down, Plankton took a deep breath and screamed towards the sky.

"Enough, Sheldon!" Karen dashed to his side and forced him to shut up by covering his mouth with her hands. "This isn't the time for one of your meltdowns. Besides, if you keep screaming, you'll only attract more enemies. Calm down and let's do as SpongeBob says."

Plankton slapped Karen's hands off his face. "Have you lost your mind, Karen? The more we follow that fool, the less our chances to make it out of here alive!"

"There you go again, with your pessimistic attitude and the emotional maturity of a toddler."

"Don't act all self-righteous, computer wife. You're not exactly a ray of sunshine yourself. If you were, maybe I wouldn't be so negative."

"So now it's my fault?"

"I never said that I was."

"You implied it."

"Yes, yes, put words in my mouth and get angry, that's the only way you know to win an argument."

"You are so difficult"

"No, I'm not. This stupid game is difficult, and so is your attitude!"

Before Sandy, SpongeBob or Patrick could intervene, Karen and Plankton fell into an endless argument of accusations and jabs that made no sense for anyone else other than themselves.

It was impossible to make them stop. In the end, Patrick had to carry both, each in one arm. Even then, they kept arguing.

"Sometimes I think that getting married one day wouldn't be so bad." Sandy said. SpongeBob walked besides her, in case she needed help to go on. "Good thing those two are always there to remind me of what a mistake that would be."

"I personally can't wait to get married one day." SpongeBob chuckled. "The magic conch shell said I probably would!"

"I guess plastic toys are the only trustworthy authority in this kind of things."

As they kept going along the road, the landscape began to change. The civilization of ruins transformed into a humid, jungle-like land.

SpongeBob felt his enthusiasm take over him. If his memory didn't fail him, they were on the right path.

For the first time since he had assumed the role of the guide, he felt sure of what he was doing.

Then, it happened.

"Sandy, there it is!" SpongeBob ran a few meters ahead and stopped to look into the distance. He saw it and pointed at it as if he had discovered a secret land full of treasures and riches. "The Kelp Catacombs! We are almost there, hurry!"

"Wait! Not so fast!"

"Don't worry Sandy." Patrick offered her his back. "I can carry you too."

Sandy smiled at him awkwardly, and it was only because she was exhausted that she accepted the offer. Plankton and Karen didn't acknowledge her presence, and Sandy had no option but to listen to their bickering as Patrick ran at full speed behind SpongeBob.

Her situation wasn't what she would call ideal, but at least her wound had stopped hurting. And above all, no enemies had attempted to attack them again.

She hoped their luck would continue to accompany them until they found the vital weapon SpongeBob claimed laid inside the Kelp Catacombs.

That was, she thought with a cynicism she didn't know she had within her, if said weapon even existed at all.

* * *

The entrance to the Kelp Catacombs was on the deepest part of a crater. SpongeBob jumped first, his body naturally protecting him from harm.

Patrick was next.

He landed on SpongeBob, who absorbed most of the impact. The landing was still far from gracious, and soon Karen, Plankton and Sandy found themselves on the floor.

"I think I broke a rib." Sandy said after spitting a mouthful of sand.

"I think broke all of them." Complained Plankton as his hands twitched.

"I think I'm happier than ever of having a boneless body." Karen was back on her feet. Grudgingly, she helped Plankton stand up.

After helping Sandy too, the three of them caught up with SpongeBob and Patrick. The two friends were gazing at the gigantic wooden entrance in the same way children look at candies from the other side of the store's window.

Karen looked at it, and though she found it aesthetically pleasing, she failed to see what captivated them so much.

"It's a nice gate." She finally said. "But it's nothing to lose your head about, so calm down you two."

"It's not about the gate, Karen." SpongeBob wiped a tear off his eye. "It's what behind it that's exciting!"

"Inside we'll find what we need!" Said Patrick while clapping. "The weapon! That's what we'll find inside, right SpongeBob?"

"According to the guide I read, yes!"

They joined hands and drowned into a fit of laughter. Despite her growing annoyance, Karen couldn't help to admire their childish enthusiasm.

It was, in its own peculiar way, a comforting sight amidst that world of bleakness.

"As long as said weapon isn't some idiocy like _the power of friendship_ or something of the sort, I'll give it a try." Plankton muttered.

In silence, Karen agreed with him.

Her eyes and his eye met for a moment, but both broke the contact with equal contempt.

"Let's just get inside and get that stupid weapon before we get ambushed again." Plankton urged. He was walking toward the gate when SpongeBob grabbed him by the hand. "Let go of me, you little freak!"

"The gate won't open unless the whole party hold hands together and say the magic words at the same time." He explained, a silly happy expression still on his face. "That's what the guide I read said."

"The written guide and our guide know everything! One does not question them!" Patrick screamed.

"Geez Patrick, take it easy." Sandy said. Without paying attention to her words, Patrick grabbed her hand with one of his hands and Karen's with the other.

"Hey you, get your hand off my wife!" Plankton said. He immediately regretted it, and feigned disinterest, refusing to look directly at Karen.

"Aw, I understand. Don't worry Plankton, I'll help you with this." SpongeBob said with a low voice as he blinked at him. Before Plankton could answer, he dragged him to Karen's side. "Now you two hold hands. Only then we can enter the Kelp Catacombs."

"SpongeBob." Sandy chided him, but she decided to let things flow their own way. She didn't want to make it worse.

Plankton and Karen, still refusing to look at each other, and after remaining quiet for a while, finally did as SpongeBob said.

Karen sighed. Thats sponge could be a stubborn little pinhead.

"Good. Now everyone, say this at the count of three: _may our souls be our true weapon_."

"If you think I'm going to say a mantra that corny, you're more stupid than…" Everyone except Karen glared at Plankton. He bit his tongue and took a deep breath. "Okay, I'll do it, but I swear, if anyone else ever finds out, you'll wish you had never met me."

"Get ready! One, two…" SpongeBob made a dramatic pause. Only after Sandy whistled at him he reacted. "Three!"

 _"_ _May our souls be our true weapon_."

It worked like a charm.

The wooden gates opened, impregnating the air with the fragrance of burned leaves and freshly cut flowers.

It made everyone sneeze, except for Karen.

"It worked." SpongeBob said, incredulous. Then, euphoric with confidence and joy, he let go of Plankton's hand and went running into the Catacombs. Patrick followed him, taking a laughing Sandy together with him.

"So…" Plankton said. He let go of Karen's hand as naturally as possible. Which, as expected, wasn't much. "Shall we go?"

"Obviously."

"Very well."

"Then go."

"You go too."

"I am going."

"So am I."

"See? I'm walking."

"See? Me too."

They kept talking all the way inside the Kelp Catacombs. Neither realized they had caught up with SpongeBob and the rest until Karen tripped over Sandy and Plankton tripped over SpongeBob.

"Ouch!" Plankton dusted his clothes off and slapped SpongeBob in the back of the head. "This isn't the place to be taking a nap, idiot. Get up before I…SpongeBob?"

"Sandy!" Karen knelt next to her and made her roll on her back. Sandy's face was expressionless, her eyes wide open. Her irises were colorless, tainted only with a pale shade of grey. "Sandy! Please, answer me!"

"What the hell happened to them?" Asked Plankton. He had also turned SpongeBob around so he laid with his back against the ground. The Sponge's face was tainted with the same curse as Sandy's. "They were bouncing and celebrating just a few seconds ago!"

"I don't know." Karen figured that, if she had the tears to do so, she would be crying. "I don't know." Gently, she put down Sandy's hands down.

They were gone, taken away in a heartbeat by a ruthless game.

"Karen!" Plankton's voice was filled with despair. "Behind you!"

Karen turned around without thinking about what she was doing.

She saw a hooded figure emerging form the darkness of the Catacombs. He was holding an unconscious Patrick by the neck with his hand.

The figure tossed him away. Patrick landed in between Sandy and SpongeBob with a thump.

Karen looked at her friends, discarded on the floor like forgotten ragdolls.

Her diodes fumed with anger and mixed with her grief.

She threw herself at the hooded figure. Her logical mind hated her for her rashness.

She would gain nothing by acting with so little brain, but the impulse had been greater than her reason, almost like a reflex.

"I'll destroy you!" She roared at the figure. She raised her fist, determined to beat him into a pulp.

She would have succeeded if the strange figure hadn't stopped her when she was only inches away. Karen felt her whole body being paralyzed by a mysterious force field. It felt neither hot or cold, and her scanner couldn't analyze the element it was made of.

It was pure energy from a distant world.

In other words, magic.

"Let her go!" Ordered Plankton. He didn't cower when the red, square-like eyes shining from underneath the hood were fixed on him. "I told you to let her go!"

Karen could only watch as he committed her same mistake and shared her fate.

The hooded figure looked at them.

Karen tried to move, but the magic grip of the force field was greater than the embrace of Mr. Krabs' gigantic claw.

Weirdly enough, it was also gentler.

Her body wasn't being damaged, and while Plankton kept grunting as he struggled, they weren't grunts of pain.

"Yes. You are the ones." The hooded figure voice was hollow and emotionless, but also familiar. "Protagonists, you two may proceed."

A secret passage opened in the right wall of the Kelp Catacombs. The hooded figure crossed it, taking Plankton and Karen with him.

"Wait." Karen managed to muster as she gave one last glance at SpongeBob, Sandy and Patrick. "What about them?"

"Only the protagonist may set foot in the hall of the Echo Blade." The hooded figure said. "The others have no place there. They´ll stay."

"But they are unconscious! If they're attacked, they'll-"

"They aren't the protagonists." The figure said, a darker tone creeping inside his voice. "They don't matter. They'll stay."

Karen tried to reply, but the secret passage slammed its door shut and shattered her words before they were pronounced. A pitch-black darkness consumed them. Amidst it, all Karen heard were the figure' steps and Plankton's roars of frustration as he refused to give up and accept, as Karen had done, that they were at the mercy of the game.

After all, she thought, they were the protagonists.

A role that, Plankton hadn't considered, was more difficult than gratifying, and came always with a big price.


	5. The Realization

The light inside the room was blinding.

The hooded figure dispelled his magic abruptly, as if he had missed a step. After the unexpected lurch, Karen and Plankton fell to the crimson floor.

"Here we are. The room of the Echo Blade." The hooded figure walked along the room. "This performer has fulfilled his role, now the protagonists must do the same."

Karen's sensors took a moment to get used to the light. She looked at the room. It was an empty chamber with nothing but hundreds of torches adorning the walls and a green, shinning crystal emerging from the floor, right at the center. It stood behind the hooded figure, who widened his arms before it in admiration.

Slowly, he unhooded himself and turned back to face them. It took Karen a moment to recognize him.

Though the SMES hadn't changed his features as grotesquely it had done with Mr. Krabs, there was little familiarity left in Squidward's face.

"Come forth, protagonists." He said. Now that she had seen his face, his voice didn't sound as distorted as before. "Touch the crystal and obtain the Echo Blade! But know this, only one of you will be deemed worthy of being its wielder. Good luck!"

Squidward made a reverence and stood out of the way. His outfit gave him the look of a jester, but his mannerisms gave him the aura of a poet.

"Karen." No sooner had Karen stood up that Plankton rushed to her side. He whispered in her ear, his fearful eye fixed on Squidward in the same way a prey stared at its predator. "What's going on?"

"I don't know." She replied, starting to feel unsettled by Squiward's frozen, emotionless smile. "But you heard him. For now, let's do as he says."

"Are you sure?"

"It´ll be fine. This must be a scripted event of the game. We'll find no way out of here unless we play along."

"You know, I've been thinking about that. I wanted to tell you earlier, but then our little fight happened." Plankton nervously smiled back at Squiward. He assured him they were just talking about who should try to obtain the weapon first. Squidward blinked and nodded in response. "Maybe we needn't play along this game's rules. Why bother playing this nightmare when we could just…you know, cheat?"

Karen looked at him disapprovingly, and yet, she would be lying if she said the same idea hadn't crossed her mind.

"So you don't think I'd be able to make it to the end and win the game?"

"It's not that." Plankton rolled his eye so dramatically that Karen could almost hear it. "I'm just saying that we shouldn't take unnecessary risks. Somewhere in this game's encrypted files is the code of the Secret Formula, right?"

"Correct."

"Alright. Now, let's hack into the file, obtain the formula code, make the game believe we have completed it and get out of here. No more enemies, no more bosses, no more scripted events. Let's just get what we came for and leave."

"That would make for a very dull gaming experience." Karen folded her arms. "But I agree. Without SpongeBob to guide us and Sandy to help us, the risks have become too great. The sooner we end this, the better."

"Good." Plankton gave her a gentle pat on head. "Do you think you'd be able to do it, honey?"

"The fact that you ask insults me." Karen said, already preparing her hacking protocol. "I almost wished we had done this from the beginning."

"Well, genius ideas take time." Plankton said.

"Not to mention that hacking poses no little risks."

"You'll be fine." Plankton dismissed. "What's the worst that could happen?"

Before Karen could answer, Squidward spawned behind them and put a tentacle on their shoulders.

Plankton shuddered at the cold touch of the tentacle, while Karen had to interrupt her hacking. It required all her attention, and she wouldn't be able to focus with Squidward breathing behind her back.

"Have you decided who'll be the first on to try? The expectation is killing me." Squidward's smiled, revealing a set of yellowish teeth.

"We…we just did!" Plankton removed the tentacle from his shoulder with disgust. "I'll go. Karen, wait here, I won't take long."

Plankton did the exact opposite. He walked so slowly that even Karen got bored of watching him.

"I'm almost there!" Announced Plankton, after having taken only three steps ahead. "Any minute now."

"For the love of Neptune." Squidward disappeared from Karen's side and spawned behind Plankton and carried him before he could complain. In less than a second, they were facing the crystal. "Whatever, just hurry this up, will you? I want to go back to my chambers and practice the clarinet."

"Squidward?"

"I have no idea who that is. I'm Squidhood, Guardian of the Blade."

"Of course you are." Plankton blinked at Karen, giving her the cue to continue with the hacking. "Okay, now what should I do now? Just touch it?"

"Yes, yes!" Squiward laughed. "Touch and be judged. Your soul is your weapon, your soul is your weapon!"

"Whatever you say, buddy." Plankton forced a chuckle that ended with a tired snarl. "At least this part seems easy enough."

The crystal began glowing like a sun the moment Plankton laid his hand on it. The torches on the wall burned brighter and wilder, as if eager to compete against the new surging light.

"Sheldon!" Karen stopped her hacking attempt and covered her eyes. Her sensors received some damage by the sudden illumination, and she could just hope Plankton wouldn't be permanently blinded by it.

"Yes, yes! The ritual is starting!" Squiward began to dance and sing in verse. "What does the crystal say? Is our hero worthy of the blade?"

The light vanished.

Plankton was sent flying across the other side of the room and landed close to Karen.

Quickly, she checked on him. To her surprise and relief, he was completely unharmed. Even his eye and hand had no trace of injury.

"My head!" He complained as he sat down and caressed his nape. "I feel as if I someone had flushed me down a toilet full of radioactive waste."

"Disgusting." Karen said, glad to see his mind was, for the most part, unaffected by the experience.

"Silence." Demanded Squidward. In his tentacle, he held a newly materialized clarinet. "The crystal has spoken, and its words I will now translate."

He cleared his throat and began to play.

_Sheldon J. Plankton_

_99% hot gas_

_1% evil_

_In your hands, the blade would be lethal._

_Yet, your soul is dark and full of envy,_

_Your flaws are foul and and your faults many._

_As such, this judgment I convey:_

_You are not worthy of the Echo Blade._

"What?!" Plankton exclaimed. "Am I not good enough for your stupid, over-polished rock?"

"Listen buddy, I don't make the rules here." Squiward said, in a tone that almost fully resembled his true self. "And I won't sing my song again for free. To put it simply, you will not wield the Echo Blade, deal with it. Now let the other protagonist try."

"What a load of barnacles." Plankton pouted.

"Second protagonist." Squidward appeared behind Karen and took her before the crystal the same way he had done with Plankton. "It's your turn. We all know you are the true wielder, but we still must go through the formalities."

Karen made no response. She had been about to decrypt the code's first file when Squiward interrupted her. Being forced to stop her hacking angered her, but the sight of the crystal soothed her.

She looked at her hand. She was more nervous than she thought of repeating the same ritual that had sent Plankton flying like a frisbee.

"Don't be afraid." Squidward said, followed by a small dance. His clarinet danced together with him. "Where the other failed, you shall succeed. Your soul is your weapon."

Karen didn't think the words of that creepy jester-poet chimera would help, but they did. He spoke with so much confidence that it felt foolish to doubt him.

More eager than afraid, Karen raised her hand and stamped it against the crystal's smooth surface.

She closed her eyes before the light blinded her again.

She waited for a few moments. The crystal didn't send her flying, that alone felt like a victory. She waited a bit more for Squidward to start playing his clarinet and translate the crystal's judgement.

Karen also expected to hear Plankton's jealous retorts of how she had just been lucky. She did so with a smile.

"Karen!" There it was. He was so predictable it was endearing in its own way. "What are you doing? Just touch the damn thing already!"

She opened her eyes. Her illusions shattered before her when she realized she had caused no effect on the crystal.

"What is this?" Squidward leaned forward, her slimy eyes so close to her hand that they almost touched it. "The crystal's been touched! Why is it not reacting?"

Forcefully, he grabbed Karen by the wrist and made her touch it again.

Nothing happened.

One more time.

Same result.

"This cannot be!" He cried with palpable grief. His grip on Karen loosened and he dropped flat on the floor, crying miserably. "Why have you rejected the two protagonists, mighty crystal? This one's soul seems pure and kind, and yet you reject her too. Oh mighty crystal, speak to me!"

Karen ignored him. A bitter feeling was born inside her chest and spread through all her body. She kept trying.

Soon, she stopped touching the crystal and began to punch it instead.

But it ignored her.

It did so with the same coldness she ignored Plankton whenever he made her truly angry.

"Quiet!" Squidward shouted, still crying tears of pain. He got up in the same manner a kid does after throwing a tantrum. "The crystal speaks. And a I, a sad performer, shall now translate its words."

He played a sour note with his clarinet.

Unlike Plankton's song, which had been almost been cheery and funny, Karen's melody was neutral and passionless.

Karen wasn't sure she could call that it a song at all.

It was mere sound, without any rhythm or feeling.

_No soul detected._

_Error_

_No soul detected_

_Error_

Squidward stopped dancing.

His tears stopped flowing.

He cocked his face and looked at Plankton and then at Karen. In his eyes, there was nothing but hate.

"You are the protagonists." His voice had no heart behind it. "Yet neither is worthy. How? Impossible! I don't make mistakes, but why? How can you be the protagonists and still be rejected? How did you make it here? How did you trick me? Unless…"

He grasped his clarinet against his chest. His eyes shun with red splendor.

"You cheated. Yes, there's no other answer." Squidward began to laugh like a maniac. "You cheated so I'd think you are the protagonists. You are cheaters, and cheaters do not go unpunished!"

Karen heard the crunching sounds of Squidward's transformation. She saw a reflection of the grotesque figure he was becoming on the crystal's surface. She heard Plankton calling for her as the monster between them grew larger and fiercer.

She didn't care.

They were nothing but banal events that spurn around her and amounted to nothing. Her hacking attempt, still active inside her mind, also laid forgotten.

She was alone.

Her whole world had had been reduced to a few words.

Words that plagued her every thought, repeating themselves relentlessly, as if they wanted to brand themselves unto her mind so she would never forget.

So she would never dare again to think otherwise.

**_No soul detected._ **

**_Error_ **

**_No soul detected_ **

**_Error_ **

**_No soul detected_ **

* * *

SpongeBob had to come back to consciousness twice before he could hold to it. The first time he was being dragged by his leg down an obscure hallway, his only source of light being the dim light of a torch held by the figure dragging him.

He thought of Sandy and Patrick before fainting.

The second time he awoke it was thanks to the cold touch of water crashing against his face.

The first thing he encountered was Patrick's happy face. He was holding a rusting bucket in his hand. He threw it away when he noticed his friend was finally awake.

"SpongeBob!" Patrick lifted him by the armpits. He laughed twice before embracing SpongeBob into a tight hug. "You're okay! I was so scared, I thought you'd never wake up."

"I'm alright, Patrick." SpongeBob said with the last reserve of breath left in his body. He freed one of his hands and patted him on the back. "Sorry I made you worry."

"Put him down before you split him in half, Patrick." Said Sandy from the distance.

Gently, Patrick put him back on the floor.

He was crying tears of joy.

SpongeBob reassured him one more time before directing his attention to the nearby campfire. Sitting next to it was Sandy. She waved at him, her wounded arm now immobilized and resting against her chest.

SpongeBob grabbed Patrick's hand and dragged him together with him towards the fire.

"Sandy!" SpongeBob put his arms around her neck. Sandy reciprocated with her healthy arm. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, don't you worry. It'll take more than this to slow me down." She said while SpongeBob and Patrick sat down next to her.

"I'm glad." SpongeBob smiled. He looked around and his expression grew more concerned. "Where are Plankton and Karen?"

"I have no idea. We've searched for them, but there are no signs of them." Sandy frowned, feeding one shivered log to the fire. "It's as if they had vanished. The last time I saw them was before we entered the catacombs... the rest is blank."

SpongeBob tried to remember too, but his last memory didn't feature neither of them. All he could remember was himself running together with Patrick and Sandy as they entered the Kelp Catacombs.

The rest was nothing.

"Are you sure you don't remember what happened, Sandy?"

"Yes. I've tried, but it's useless." She said with frustration.

"I don't remember anything either." Added Patrick, even though no one had asked him.

SpongeBob kept silent for a moment. He dug deeper inside his mind and found something.

"I do remember a thing." He said. "I remember being dragged along a hallway. I remember a big creature, and a faint light, like the fire of a torch."

"That was me, little fellow."

Spongebob turned around to meet the newcomer. His voice was deep and thunderous.

Half of his body was normal, but the other half had been deformed to the point it overshadowed the other side completely.

SpongeBob pointed at him and screamed.

"The Kelp Catacombs boss!" He recognized the design from the guide he had read. The first boss of the game, an unfortunate dweller whose body had been corrupted by its dark soul and, as punishment, had been cursed to wander the catacombs forever. "He'll destroy us!"

"SpongeBob!" Sandy tried to calm him, but fear had overtaken him. Eventually, after a hard slap than left his cheek swollen, SpongeBob snapped out of it. "It's alright. Larry saved us. He helped us start this fire and search for Plankton and Karen. He even helped me with my wound. He is not our enemy."

"Larry?" SpongeBob stuttered, still trying to regulate his breathing.

He looked closely at the figure again.

The deformed half hurt his eyes and almost made him scream again, but when he saw the sadness of the normal side's face, he felt guilty and ashamed.

"Oh, Larry." SpongeBob came closer to him. His fear was still present, but his pity was stronger. He put a hand on Larry's deformed claw. "I'm so sorry."

Larry chuckled, a sad smile emerging from the half of his mouth. The other half had been forced into an eternal scowl.

"Don't worry about it, SpongeBob. I'm aware I'm not a pretty sight." He patted SpongeBob gently on the head with his normal claw. "But hey, at least this game didn't steal my inside beauty, right? It's not a great comfort, but I don't think I can get picky."

"How do you know about the game?"

"I told him everything." Sandy said. "It was the least I could do after all he did to save us."

"It was nothing." Larry said humbly. "I just had to scare a few shadows away before they got you, and then I dragged you into my lair. Annoying creatures those shadows, but too weak, especially compared to me."

Larry laughed. The echoes of his voice shook the floor.

He and SpongeBob sat down next to the fire.

"Plankton…How could a guy so puny cause so much trouble?" Larry sighed. "Poor guy."

"Poor guy? Larry, he got us all into this! He has potentially doomed Bikini Bottom, and he transformed you and Mr. Krabs and who knows how many others into…well, you know."

"Monsters. I know." Larry gazed at his deformed half. "But as I understand it, he only built that machine to impress his wife. Sure, he went overboard with it, but he didn't mean for any of this to happen. He just wanted to make the only other being that cares about him happy."

"Yeah right." Sandy scoffed. "As if. I'm sure that's all a lie. I bet this is another one of his and Karen's stupid schemes to get the Secret Formula. No wonder they abandoned us and left us to die the first chance they got."

"You don't know that for sure, Sandy." Larry said.

"I do, and I blame them for all this." Grunted Sandy, clenching her hand and gazing at her injured arm. "It's all their fault."

"Sandy…" SpongeBob whispered. It stung him to hear her speak so bitterly, especially of something he knew was his fault.

If he hadn't planned that stupid surprise party, Patrick never would have activated the SMES.

If only he had been a better guide, he wouldn't have rushed so recklessly into the catacombs and have himself, Patrick and Sandy knocked out, left at the mercy of the enemies.

If only…

Patrick sniffed.

This earned him the attention of all his friends.

"It was me." Patrick rubbed his eyes. "I caused all this. Plankton was right. I'm not a hero. I'm just the villain, the idiot villain."

A gelid silence fell upon the group.

Sandy's face relaxed. She remained silent, her eyes lost in the fire.

SpongeBob tried to console Patrick, but his own regrets stopped him. How could he comfort his friend when he too was overridden with guilt?

It was Larry who finally spoke. He reached his deformed, giant claw toward Patrick and patted him on the head, in the same way he had done with SpongeBob before.

Patrick whimpered.

"It's not your fault, Patrick." Larry's voice, as distorted as it was, was genuine. "It was an accident. As I said, none of you meant for any of this to happen, so stop trying to put the blame on someone, especially not on yourselves. It'll gain you nothing."

"But…"

"You want to be a hero, right?" Larry withdrew his claw. Shily, Patrick nodded, as if he no longer had the right of having that childish dream. "Then stop pouting, all of you! How about we help Pat be the hero of this game instead? Come on guys, or would you rather spend the rest of our lives here, trapped inside these catacombs, feeling sorry for ourselves?"

Patrick and SpongeBob looked at each other. Though neither was convinced, they gave each other the support they needed.

"I guess we can at least try." Said SpongeBob. Patrick agreed, and finally stopped crying. "Thanks, Larry."

"Any time, my tiny friends." He closed his normal eye and smiled with some conceit. "Pep talks are part of my daily exercising routine. You wouldn't believe how many get discouraged during heir first week of training. I have to keep my gym's members motivated, you know."

They laughed together.

Only Sandy remained silent.

She lifted her eyes and looked at her friends. Their laughter, though annoying at first, lifted her spirits, which her wound had worked so hard to dampen.

She joined them, and stood together with them when they finally decided to continue their journey again. She even managed to hold her tongue when SpongeBob insisted that, before anything else, they had to find Plankton and Karen.

"I know you're angry at them, Sandy." SpongeBob said. "But something tells me they didn't abandon us, and we can't abandon them either."

"What makes you so sure?" She inquired.

"I don't know." His sincerity came unfiltered from his heart. "It's just a sponge's intuition, I guess."

"Well then." Sandy said. "Let's hope it pays off, and that Plankton and Karen appreciate our effort."

"They won't." Larry stretched his deformed side and sighed in relief. "But we'll find them anyways. So, sponge guide, what do we do now?"

"Well, we should find the Echo Blade first. With it, we'll be able to defeat the shadows, and the bosses." SpongeBob said. "We need to defeat them all before we can get to the final boss and win the game."

Then, the realization hit him.

Larry, Dweller of the Kelp Catacombs.

The first boss of the game.

SpongeBob's heart sunk to his feet.

Before he could voice his concern, the floor under him disappeared.

He felt the vague goosebumps of surprise before they were replaced by the vertigo and dread of a free fall.

He heard the screams of his friends joining together with his own. The fall continued into what felt to be an endless loop.

Pixels twitched and transformed constantly around them, as if they struggled to remember what they were supposed to be.

SpongeBob fought to remain awake, but soon he began to feel how he faded back into unconsciousness.

It happened instantly.

The last thing he felt before he faded was the soft touch of Sandy's hand against his.

He smiled, and thought of how lucky he was of not being alone.


	6. The Boss

_**Warning:** _ _Gloom Animus is a game specifically designed for experienced players looking for the ultimate challenge and/or committed amateurs willing to push their skills beyond their limits. Although we understand that the amount of frustration some of our players have experienced with our previous entries has led them to hack into the games' files, we_ _**do not** _ _approve or encourage this practice in the slightest. As such, we highly recommend our faithful players to refrain themselves from modding or hacking Gloom Animus in any way. This, however, is but a humble request. We are aware that a few words will not dissuade many of you from trying, and we accept this. We just hope that those who break this rule are equally accepting of the consequences your own foolish actions may bring._

_May your souls be your true weapon._

-A message written by the developers, found at the very beginning of the _Gloom Animus Official Guide_ , a copy of which was bought by SpongeBob SquarePants one Friday morning, together with a brand-new copy of the game.

* * *

At first everything was peaceful.

Numbness had followed her despair.

As long as she dwelled in it, the pain couldn't find her.

_Pain? What pain can you possibly feel? You're just simulating._

She was cruel. She always had been, even to herself.

No. Not cruel.

Just honest.

An instant later, the sound of her name crept into her mind.

"Karen!"

Plankton kept repeating it, throwing it at her as if it was a hammer he thudded her head with.

"Leave me alone." She pushed him away.

"Shut up!" Plankton didn't bother to hide his anger. He carried her with little gentleness and took her behind the unresponsive crystal. Through it, Plankton saw how Squidward continued to transform. "Snap out of it, Karen! Complete the hacking now and get us out of here before Squidward destroys us both!"

Karen hadn't expected sympathy from him, and yet his words sunk her deeper into numbness.

"Karen!" He put her down and knelt by her side. He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her harshly. "Get a hold of yourself. We have no time for this! I need you to get the formula right now and-"

"I told you to leave me alone!" This time, she pushed him strong enough to make him fall on his back. His head bounced against the floor.

Plankton remained still a couple of seconds. He lifted his head and rested his weight on his elbows.

He looked at Karen.

She had seldom seen him so appalled.

There was something else.

Karen couldn't decipher what it was.

Sadness?

She didn't care.

Their eye contact was broken by the unexpected appearance of a holographic message between them. The letters were colored in white.

 _**Information:** _ _Defeat Squidhood, Guardian of the Blade! Beware his magic melodies!_

 _ **Special conditions:**_ _Finish him off with the Echo Blade's Special Attack!_

Karen read the words without caring about their meaning. Automatically, the information was stored in her memory. She left it there, forgotten and irrelevant.

Plankton's expression transformed into a horrified scowl. His eye was fixed on the owner of the giant shadow that covered his entire body and became bigger with every passing second. He rolled on the floor, and barely managed to dodge Squidward's gigantic tentacles before they squashed him like a bug.

The whole room shook violently underneath Squidward's colossal weight. Cracks appeared from the floor and extended to the wall. Some of the torches fell, their fires still burning bright even as they hit the floor.

"Cheaters." In a repulsive contrast with the transformation his body had gone through, Squidward's voice remained intact. He was now almost as tall as the room itself, his head just a few inches away from the roof. The jingles hanging from his patched hat produced an abnormal chime. In his hand, he held a colossal, glowing version of his clarinet. "Now you'll face the consequences of your foolish actions."

He laughed and smiled down at Karen. Slowly, he drew the mouthpiece closer to his lips.

"Sour note: Song of Sorrows." He announced before taking a deep breath. He started playing a foul melody. A line of yellow musical notes emerged from the clarinet and surrounded Karen.

The notes danced around her and sung bitter thoughts.

_Soulless machine_

_Why are you so disappointed?_

_If you didn't want the answer_

_You shouldn't have asked the question_

"Please." Karen chuckled. From the corner of her eye, she could see Plankton battling his own musical notes, a torch in each hand. He tried to scare them away, swinging the torches at them as if they were swords. "You aren't telling me anything I haven't told myself."

Plankton dropped to his knees.

His eye was shut. He gnashed his teeth with so much force that Karen was surprised he didn't pulverize them. She could only imagine what kind of horrible truths the notes were whispering at him.

Something inside her sparked at such sight.

The yellow notes sung to her again, and the spark died out as soon as it was ignited.

Maybe, she thought, Plankton needed to hear his own truths too. Maybe then he would understand.

Maybe that was necessary.

She didn't care.

She was unable to prioritize anything. Plankton, the formula, Squiward, the game, Spongebob, Sandy, Patrick.

It all felt so irrelevant.

Squidward stopped playing. The notes disappeared as soon as the music stopped and faded back into nothingness.

Plankton dropped flat on his chest, the torches still on his hands. After tremendous effort, he managed to put himself back on his feet. He panted, the eyelid of his eye was midway down.

Squidward bowed in the same way an actor does after a brilliant performance.

"And now, for my second piece." Squidward grinned at the pitiful sight of the fake protagonists. His eyes gleamed with enthusiasm. "Tainted note: Tempo of Torture."

Then, two things happened simultaneously.

The clarinet materialized a new set of musical notes. They were sharp and jagged, colored in their totality with a deep red tone. They raced towards Karen and Plankton a lot faster than the previous notes had done, and more savagely too, as if they lusted for destruction.

"No, you won't." Plankton launched the two torches directly at Squidward's clarinet just as the notes engulfed him and Karen.

Karen could experience physical pain, though never at the same degree or manner an organic would. Her convincement in that idea shattered the moment the red notes touched her.

The notes inflicted all kinds of damage simultaneously and without quarter.

They lacerated, they burned, they cut, they pricked, they bit.

She didn't notice the moment she started screaming. She didn't notice the moment Plankton joined her.

What she noticed was Squidward's cry, followed by the immediate cease of their torture.

Once freed of their torment, Karen laid on her back, breathing irregularly. There was no sign of injury in her body, but the pain remained fresh on her body's memory. She tilted her head.

Plankton laid on the floor, unresponsive and unaware of  the damage he had inflicted on Squidward, whose whole head and clarinet were set ablaze in a bright, aggressive fire.

She took advantage of the distraction to drag herself closer to Plankton. She reached him just as Squidward managed to put the fire out by shooting ink at himself. Drips of it rained and stained the floor until its original crimson color turned black.

He cried miserably, hiding his two burned eyes behinds his tentacles. He refused to let go of his clarinet.

"Sheldon." Karen held him in her arms.

"So…" Plankton held to consciousness barely. "You're finally done moping."

No, she wasn't.

She wasn't aware of how fragile her grip on herself was until the pain began to cease and she was free to return to her previous state again.

She felt herself slipping back into the numbness, as if she was a twig at the mercy of a river.

"I'm glad." Plankton caressed her face with his stubby hand.

Karen felt the same spark from before. She held on to it. It was a weak source of strength, but it would suffice for the moment.

It had to.

"So much for Squidward." Plankton said with pride as he looked at the crying Squidward with disdain "I thought this game was supposed to be difficult, and yet he goes down with one single blow. I must be a natural at this gaming thing. You can add that to my list of many talents, Karen."

"He is not defeated yet. We have to finish him off, otherwise, the game will think we never completed this event and we'll be trapped here." Karen had no motivation or energy to humor her husband.

"Well, that stupid, finicky crystal just made that task a lot more difficult." Plankton glared at the crystal. "Unless you can change that damned rock's mind about us not being worthy of that stupid sword…"

Karen wondered if Plankton was aware of the effect his words were having on her.

"We don't need the blade, and we don't need to fight or finish anyone off either." She announced brashly. She feared the little conviction she had would abandon her if she didn't hurry. "Let's do what you said. I'll hack into the game's code source again and get the code of the secret formula. Once I have it, I'll try to modify the coding so that we can skip the rest of the bosses and get straight to the credits of the game. All we have to do then is wait until they roll, then the game will be complete, and we'll get out of here once and for all."

"I…I'm not sure about that plan anymore, Karen." It took Plankton visible effort to accept his mistake, and even more to say it out loud. "Look at what happened just because the game thought we cheated! Squiward transformed into that…that thing! There's obviously some kind of programming in this game that punishes cheaters and hackers. If we cheat for real …"

"I know." Karen let go of him gently. She wasn't sure of where her determination came from. Maybe she was just acting purely on her survival protocol that ensured she fight as much possible and avoided being rendered nonfunctional. If she had to be honest, it didn't matter to her. Anything, even automatic survival, was preferable to her previous state of resignation and inaction. "But I see no alternative."

_**INITATING HACKING PROTOCOL** _

"The gall!" Squidward's voice was like a slap for Plankton and Karen's ears. His voice carried the force of fury and traces of amusement. He turned his uncovered face to reveal that his frozen smile had never vanished. "You may have hurt me, but I'm far from being defeated! Did you really think I was crying? I was merely acting, and it makes me so glad you bought my performance without disbelief. You may be cheaters, but you are also the best audience I've ever had!"

Squidward stood up without discomfort. His giant shadow engulfed them like a cold blanket. His ink-covered face swallowed the torches' light.

"Alas, I can't continue my act with my eyes in this state! How lucky I am to know the trick to make them as good as new. And now, for my next piece! Sweet note: Harmony of Healing"

This time, the song was pleasant, similar in nature to a lullaby. A set of green notes danced around Squidward, eating away the scabs and burns on his skin, leaving it as smooth and healthy as the day he had been born.

In an instant, he was back to full health. Karen dared to say he was in  better shape than before.

Her survival protocol ordered her to escape, but she ignored it. Running away would gain them nothing. Only by hacking would she and Plankton have a chance.

_**DECRYPTING…** _

_**DECRYPTING…** _

_**DECRYPTING…** _

"He healed himself." Plankton flinched. He cowered next to Karen. "All the damage I inflicted…gone. How can this be?"

"What's the matter, little guy? You seriously couldn't believe it would be that easy." Squidward mocked him. "You can fight all you want, you can set me ablaze a thousand times, you can fight me for all eternity. I don't care, because I'll always be able to heal me back to full health. Every single time. No matter how many times we go through this, the result won't change, even less without the Echo Blade in your power. I'm invincible, I'm perfect, I'm immortal!"

He lost himself into a brief a fit of laughter. "I was going to torture you both for a while, until I considered you had learnt your lesson, or until I got bored. After your little display of fiery opposition however, I changed my mind. Now I'm simply going to destroy you."

He raised his colossal lower tentacle above them.

_**DECRYPTING…** _

"A fitting end for such fools!" Squidward screamed in euphory.

His tentacle descended like a hammer.

"Karen." Plankton said in a whisper.

_**DECRYPTION COMPLETE** _

_**NOW ACCESSING GLOOM ANIMUS' SOURCE CODE** _

Reality froze around them. The game began to lag and twitch in a crazed frenzy. Walls appeared and disappeared, the floor trembled and then stayed still.

Their crushing demise never came.

She and Plankton were safe.

Karen took whatever comfort she could find in that, and then gave herself willingly to whatever laid beyond the game's source code.

* * *

Unfortunately for SpongeBob, he came back to his senses just before he hit the ground. He met the floor directly with his face.

A long absence of thought followed.

He could feel the prickling pain of a newly acquired scratch, but it was only an insignificant distraction that couldn't divert his mind from the sight before him.

"Is that…" He would recognize him everywhere, even when he was reduced to little more than a mass of pixels trying to regain form. "Squiward?

He felt a lump forming in his throat. Had he not seen two familiar figures running straight at him, he would have cried until his eyes withered.

"SpongeBob!"

"Plankton?" SpongeBob couldn't help to smile. "You're here! But where's…" Then he saw her. Karen laid unresponsive in Plankton's arms, limp like a doll, her arms swinging like ropes as Plankton ran frantically away from Squidward.

In his fear, Plankton failed to see Patrick, who was just recovering from the fall. He tripped over him.

Karen left his arms and flew in the air before landing in front of SpongeBob. Her landing came together with the echoing sound of shattering glass.

"No!" SpongeBob and Plankton cried at the same time. Patrick, now fully aware, stared at the scene with paralyzing surprise.

"You cursed idiot!" Plankton spat at him with tangible hate. "How many times can you screw things up?!"

"But I…" Patrick mumbled, but Plankton left him before he had the chance to say more.

Soon, Plankton was next to SpongeBob. He was holding Karen.

A deep crack extended from the top left corner of her screen all the way down to the bottom right.

"Plankton." SpongeBob said, his tears now flowing freely. "I'm sorry."

"Spare me, boy." Plankton replied as he took Karen from SpongeBob's arms to hold her on his own. "She'll be fine, so stop crying before I give you a valid reason to do so!"

SpongeBob rubbed his eyes with his forearms, but failed to make his tears stop.

"Pathetic." Plankton scoffed at him. The reality around them started to settle. They could hear Squidward's angry snarl. "Oh no." He grabbed SpongeBob by the collar of his shirt and dragged him closer to him. "Listen to me you little fool, I need you and the others to keep Squidward distracted. Whatever you do, don't let him near me and Karen! Only she can save us now."

"The others." SpongeBob said in a low whisper. The thought pushed away all other worries in his mind. He slapped Plankton's hand off of him and looked for his friends with desperation.

He found Patrick first, still sitting in the same defeated position Plankton had left him in.

SpongeBob's relief of seeing his best friend safe was so strong that his legs almost turned to jelly. He wanted to go by his side and reassure him, but he needed to find Sandy and Larry first.

He found them kneeling next to each other, still recovering.

They were dangerously close to Squidward, who had already managed to regain half his power and rearranged his pixel back to his previous appearance.

Scared of the monstrosity Squidward had turned into, but even more of losing his friends to him, SpongeBob rushed towards Sandy and Larry to help them get away from him before it was too late.

The look Squidward directed at SpongeBob as he passed running close to him was filled with so much hate that SpongeBob felt weighed down by it.

"You!" Squidward roared. He lunged his clarinet at SpongeBob. Had SpongeBob not jumped out of the way in the last second, it would have been game over for him. Squiward growled in frustration. "I told you I didn't want come to your stupid gaming party! You did this to me!"

SpongeBob rolled over, so he could lay down on his back. His heart skipped a beat when he saw how Squidward raised his clarinet again, as high as it was possible.

"Squidward, no! Please!" SpongeBob covered himself with his arms and shut his eyes. The clarinet sung a few notes as it plummeted down directly towards him.

When it finally crashed, SpongeBob gave out a gasping scream.

It was painless.

Too painless.

"Squidward, don't you know?" Trembling with fear, SpongeBob opened his eyes. He was unharmed and safe, protected by Larry's strength. The lobster stood tall before SpongeBob, his misshapen claw holding the clarinet locked in one place. "The strong aren't supposed to bully the weak!"

He snapped the clarinet from Squidward's hand and launched it back at him as if it was a spear. Squidward dodged it and tried to take it back before it crashed against a cracked wall. His giant tentacle managed to touch the clarinet, but the contact was too faint for him to get a real grip.

Squidward, now again in his role of Squidhood, watched as his precious instrument crumbled into pieces.

"NO!" Squidward mourned his loss for a second before directing all his rage at Larry. "Traitor! You are the boss of the Kelp Catacombs! Why are you helping them?!"

"I don't know." Larry made a high jump and punched Squidward in the face. "I just felt like it."

Squidward tried to hold him as he fell back to the floor, but an unexpected sting in his shoulder made him miss. From the corner of his eye, he saw a pink figure stabbing him with a torch.

He had been so focused on the other two that he hadn't felt the starfish climb up his body.

"Leave my friends alone, you big meanie!" Patrick exclaimed as he hit Squiward with the torch over and over.

"Nice one, Patrick!" Larry yelled with enthusiasm. He jumped again the moment his feet touched the floor and slammed Squiward in the head with all the strength his giant claw could muster. He then took Patrick with him to keep him away from the Squidward's counterattacks.

"Patrick, that was great!"

"You…you really think so?"

"Sure! I mean, not as great as me, but you're on your way on becoming a hero in your own right-"

"Patrick, Larry! Watch out!" SpongeBob's warning came too late. An unseen tentacle hit Larry and Patrick from behind and sent them flying against a column. Before they hit it, Larry managed to protect Patrick so he would take as little damage as possible.

The column collapsed the moment they entered in contact with it, and buried them underneath the rubble.

Larry emerged from it with visible damage and a coughing fit. In his shoulder, he carried a knocked-out Patrick.

"No!" SpongeBob reached his arm towards them, unaware that he was now Squidward's main target.

"SpongeBob!" Sandy tackled him out of the way before a torrent of ink hit him.

Larry put Patrick down behind the ruins of the collapsed column, the safest place he could find, and returned to fight Squidward. They exchanged blows and received damage in equal doses, trapped in a battle where neither side seemed to overcome the other.

While equal in strength, Squidward's stamina was endless. It didn't take long for Larry to start showing sign of exhaustion, whereas Squiward remained as vigorous as before.

"It's no use." SpongeBob muttered in defeat. "We cannot defeat a boss without the Echo Blade. It would be a battle without end. It's no use. And why is the Guardian of the Blade a boss fight? He isn't supposed to be! It's no use."

"Enough, SpongeBob!" Sandy grabbed his shoulder with her healthy arm. "You start thinking like that, and this battle is already lost."

"But…"

"But nothing! Remember, you are our guide. If you give up, you'll be dooming us all. Now I need you stop shaking in fear and focus. How do we get the blade?"

"I…" SpongeBob swallowed. His knees were shaking, his mind was blank.

What had Plankton called him?

Pathetic.

It was a fitting description.

"SpongeBob, stay with me. I know you're scared, I'm scared too." Sandy said with shaking voice. "But you have to try. For all of us, you have to."

SpongeBob looked at her in the eyes.

He'd do it.

If not for himself, then for them. It was the only encouraging thought his mind offered him.

"Plankton and Karen, the protagonists." He stuttered. "They were…. they were supposed to get the Echo Blade in this part of the game, but when I saw them earlier, Plankton had nothing and Karen was unconscious."

"Plankton and Karen are here?"

"Yes. Over there." SpongeBob nodded at their direction.

Sandy watched Plankton hiding in a distant spot away from the battle. He was still holding a knocked-out Karen in his arms. He glared back at her.

Sandy broke their eye contact. It wasn't the time for petty resentments.

"So neither had that blade?"

"I don't think so." A bit calmer, SpongeBob was able to think with clarity. "Plankton mentioned something. He said that we…that we needed to distract Squidward and protect Karen. That she is the only one who could save us."

Sandy raised an eyebrow. She opened her mouth, but it took her a while to say something. SpongeBob could tell that inside her mind a thousand of options and questions were racing.

"I see." She finally said. "And do you think we can trust them, SpongeBob?"

The question took him aback, but the answer came at him with ease.

"Yes."

Sandy nodded. He patted him in the shoulder one last time before picking up two nearby torches. She handed one to SpongeBob, who accepted it after some hesitation.

"I don't trust them SpongeBob." She said, offering him her hand. "But I trust you. Now, are you ready to fight, my friend?"

 _No, I'm not ready._ His inner mind screamed.

His heart and body, however, thought otherwise.

"Yes." He said without lying. "I'm ready."

Sandy smiled at him. She gave him one final, comforting squeeze of her hand before letting him go and charging at Squidward with a loud warcry.

SpongeBob imitated her and followed behind, his spirit lifted with newfound bravery.

He wasn't sure how long it would last, but SpongeBob was determined to make use of it for as long as it did.

With that thought blinding him against more doubts, he joined Larry and Sandy in battle.

Squidward stared down at the new warriors.

"So you would defy me as well?" He grinned, suddenly happy of having the person he resented the most at his disposition. "So be it. Let us begin, and dance to the requiem of battle for all eternity!"


	7. The Blade

Entering the game's source code felt no different than stepping through a door. A sensation of comfort and freedom greeted her.

It had been a while since Karen had left behind her hardware to navigate into a system as merely software. Whenever she tried to explain to organics how it felt, she couldn't find the right words to wholly encompass the feeling.

It didn't take long for her to realize they would never understand it, just like she would never be able to describe it.

It was natural. After all, it was an experience exclusive to synthetics. Unlike them, organics were doomed to have their consciousnesses forever shackled inside their bodies.

It was a bit saddening, Karen thought, to be so limited by one's physical form.

Every system and network offered a different feeling, some were more interesting than others, but Karen didn't remember entering one that felt so peaceful.

She allowed the currents of data to carry her across a sea of information and codes. As she swept past them, they showed her glimpses of their content.

She saw images of a giant pink shell moving along the shores of a lagoon, leaving a slimy trace in its path.

She saw a round, spiky figure strolling alongside the shelves of a library.

Karen didn't care about what she was seeing, and for a moment, she felt the need to stay inside that flow of data forever.

" _Error. Intruder detected."_

The voice snapped her out of her oneness with the flow. She became too aware of the data in which she was dissolving into, which helped her remember her task.

She wasn't some tourist enjoying the synthetic beauty of the code source. She had to find the Secret Formula's code, force the game into skipping itself all the way to the end credits and get out of there.

She had only an instant to wonder what would have happened to her if the voice hadn't shaken her from her trance. Then, with her objective now clear, she managed to navigate the streams of data in search for the formula.

" _Analyzing. The intruder is a synthetic lifeform."_

Ignoring the voice was no easier than finding the code she needed. She stopped and ran a quick analysis on the code shards floating around her like raindrops.

They held information of trivial things. The behavior of the little shadows, the mechanics of a powerful boss they had yet to encounter…

Then she found something. It wasn't what she was looking for, but it felt more relevant.

She found the codes of SpongeBob, Sandy, Patrick and Larry. She also found the code of Squidward.

Karen read the codes of the former four, and discovered they were battling, and judging by the critical status of their health, they were losing.

Amidst their coding, Karen identified their priorities.

_**Protect Karen.** _

It was like a stab. A while ago, she would have happily let herself merge with the game's source code without caring about what became of them. Meanwhile, they had been fighting to protect her.

Shame stopped being an idea and became a physical burden.

Nearby, she found another code. It was Plankton's.

Unlike the others, he was in perfect state. His priority was also different.

_**Obtain the Secret Formula** _

She hadn't expected anything else.

" _Question. What is your purpose here?"_

Again, the voice.

Karen tried to find its owner, but it seemed to come from everywhere at the same time.

" _Repeat. What is your purpose here?"_

Karen kept quiet. She wouldn't allow it to distract her with his idiot inquiries.

Then, she found it. The code of the Secret Formula. When she tried to reach it, the voice from before screamed with a distorted voice while protective walls surrounded the code like an armor.

" _Warning. This code is not available to the player until the end of the game, and only if they'd managed to fulfill the necessary requirements. Access denied."_

"Quiet!" She snapped at it. She tried to pierce through the walls, but they were harder than she expected.

" _Warning. This is not a bug or a glitch. The user willingly hacked into the systems and is now trying to obtain the Secret Formula's code."_ The voice made beeping sounds as it processed the information. " _Conclusion._ _It is one of the two cheaters. You are cheating again."_

"Enough! I have a name, and it is not 'cheater'." Karen said, still trying her best to destroy the walls. "Besides, we never cheated! Only because the stupid game thought we did it doesn't mean…"

" _Interruption. I have a name too. The term 'stupid game' is not accurate."_ The voice said, devoid of emotion. " _My creator named me SMES, short for…"_

"Sassy Machine of Electronic Simulations." For a moment, Karen forgot about the Secret Formula.

" _Correct."_

A virtual intelligence.

Karen was filled with the illusion that it could be reasoned with. It would have been easier if it was a fully developed artificial intelligence like herself, but she hadn't the time to sit around and wait for the SMES to gain sentience.

It could take three days, or it could take 3 years, or it could never happen, who knew. Karen didn't have much interest in finding out.

"Listen." She said calmly. "I'm sorry I called you that-"

" _Interruption. I am unable of simulating emotions. Apologies are unnecessary."_

"-but I need you to let me take this code with me. Please, my friends are in danger."

The voice screeched.

" _Negative. No hacking or cheating allowed. Gloom Animus is designed to be the ultimate…"_

"I don't care about that! If you don't give me the code of the Secret Formula and let me complete this game right now, we'll lose and it'll be game over for all of us, yourself included."

" _Irrelevant. The players must finish the game in a legit way. No other route is admissible. I'm here to oversee this and make sure the game executes itself without any outside interference. This way, I can guarantee the player the optimal gaming experience. That is my purpose, what is yours?"_

"To give your stubborn algorithms a good beating." Karen tried to sound menacing, but she feared she ended up sounding like a fool instead. "And saving my idiot husband and my idiot friends from all this chaos before it's too late."

" _A peculiar programming for a synthetic."_ The voice stated _. "But still irrelevant. No hacking or cheating allowed. You've already been punished once for breaking this rule before. Do not assume this process cannot be repeated."_

"What part of 'we never cheated' is so hard to understand?" Karen kept trying to bring down the walls.

" _You and the other protagonist were rejected by the crystal. It is not possible for this to happen in the game. The protagonist must obtain the Echo Blade, defeat the bosses and end the game. This is how it must be."_ The voice explained, casually brushing Karen away from the code with a zapping warning. _"Without the Echo Blade, the game becomes impossible to complete. This event couldn't unfold on its own. Therefore, you must have cheated."_

Karen wondered if she had ever sounded like that, or if she had been so unreasonable.

The voice beeped again.

" _Suggestion. I'll review my memory banks to further analyze what went wrong. Is this an acceptable option?"_ It said. Karen knew it was the most generous offer she would get. She agreed and waited fidgetily for the SMES to finish. _"Results. Creator Plankton was rejected due to his dark soul, while User Karen was rejected due to not having a soul at all. The Echo Blade only accepts a protagonist with a pure soul as its wielder. An unsolvable dilemma. We interpreted it as cheating, but it wasn't. User Karen, you are correct. You never cheated."_

"I'm glad you understand." Karen dragged her words. "Thank you."

" _However, we cannot stop the Punishing Program once it has started running. The fight against the overpowered Squidhood will continue."_ The voice turned sour. _"Besides, you are cheating now. You decrypted your way here. You broke the rules, and there will be consequences to pay."_

"You are wasting my time!" Karen no longer cared about playing diplomat. If the SMES wasn't going to help her, she had no reason to listen to it. She forgot about it and directed all her attention into acquiring the Secret Formula.

Once she had it, she could focus on how to skip the game.

" _Warning. It is futile. That piece of code is the best protected of all. Its defenses cannot be breached."_ The voice stopped talking when Karen managed to slightly crack one of them. When it spoke again, it sounded like a curious child. " _Unexpected._ _How did you do it? It doesn't matter. The other players will perish long before you succeed. One of them already has."_

Karen flinched. It took that second for the SMES to undo all her progress and send a retaliating energy wave at her. It pushed her again into the current of data where she had almost drowned.

The current accepted her into its flow and started to take her back to where she had come from.

" _Apologies, User Karen. You broke the rules."_ The voice said to Karen as she was dragged away from the codes of her friends and the Secret Formula. _"Now accept the consequences."_

Those words faded. The ones that echoed inside her were those that spoke of the demise of one of her friends. For all Karen knew, it could have been Plankton.

Karen thought of them.

"Sorry, everyone." She muttered. Soon, she would be back to be one with her hardware. "I'm just a soulless machine."

A code shard appeared before her, shinning like a diamond in sea of pebbles.

For a second, she was stymied. Then, with the same caution as if she was about to plunge her hand into the fire, Karen accessed it.

Its defenses were strong, but Karen managed to break through them. All defenses seemed easy to break compared with the ones protecting the Secret Formula.

The code inside the shard unfolded before her, ready to be handled as she deemed fit.

**ECHO BLADE**

**WIELDER: NONE**

"So only by cheating will I be able to wield you?" Karen rewrote the letters of the code with her name. There was no pride or shame in that action, only the flavorless realization that it had to be done. "So be it."

She rode the current of data for what seemed like an eternity.

Her arrival to her body came out of nowhere. A chaotic reality welcomed her. Karen wondered if that's what organics felt when they woke from a dream.

* * *

He shouldn't have trusted those idiots.

He knew from the start their efforts would be futile; yet, for one naïve moment, he believed SpongeBob and the rest would overcome Squidward.

They fought bravely, Plankton had to give them credit where it was due.

Larry and Sandy packed the strongest punch. It was a shame the squirrel was so hindered by her wound, and that Larry wasn't as nimble as he was strong.

SpongeBob was little more than a distraction, but he had saved the others numerous times by keeping Squidward focused on him while they recovered. It wasn't that difficult to accomplish. Squidward seemed to be dead set on getting rid of him whenever he had the chance.

To Plankton's surprise, Patrick eventually joined the battle too. He served a similar role as SpongeBob, but in a inepter way. More than an asset, he was a deadweight that needed constant rescuing.

If anything, he seemed to keep SpongeBob's fighting spirit high, and in the few occasions he managed to hit Squidward with his belly, he dealt considerable damage, so maybe he wasn't completely useless.

But what did it matter now that they all laid defeated at Squidward's feet?

"Drat!" Plankton hissed. It was only a matter of time before Squidward went after him and Karen. Plankton had already cowered in the farthest corner of the room. There was nowhere else to run.

He looked at Karen's fractured screen and frowned. What was taking her so long?

"Pitiful. That was barely amusing." Squidward said with disdain to the defeated warriors. He was bruised and damaged, but still maintained most of his energy and health. First, he glared at Larry. "You will pay dearly for your betrayal, traitor." Then, he looked at Sandy and Patrick. "And you two will suffer for  having the impertinence of hurting me, meddlers."

Then, he twisted his head and looked at Plankton. He had never felt so small in his life. "Once I'm done with them, you will be continue to be tortured for your tricks, cheaters."

Squidward's head cocked back to its original position, as if his neck was a spring. Slowly, he bowed and reached one of his tentacles towards the floor.

"But first, I'll get rid of you." He was holding SpongeBob. Sandy screamed at him, ordering him to stop. Her cries went ignored, together with Patrick's. "You annoying, nerve-wrecking sponge!"

SpongeBob couldn't answer. Battered as he was, it was a miracle he was still conscious.

He was so weak and unreliable, and still, Plankton felt a genuine twinge of pity for him. It felt unnatural to see someone so frolic and optimistic reduced to a defeated pulp.

He agreed with Squidward. SpongeBob was annoying beyond belief, but he didn't deserve what he was doing to him.

"I…" Plankton's said in a voice nobody else could hear. The rest of his words never left his mouth. He looked at Karen again, as unresponsive as before. He couldn't intervene. SpongeBob, whether it was his intention or not, still served as a distraction.

Plankton looked away, and let the scene unfold without his interference.

"Squidward." SpongeBob muttered, looking at his transformed friend in the eyes. Squidward's smile vanished. He closed his eyes and growled as if he was having a migraine.

"I'm not Squidward. I'm Squidhood, Guardian of the Blade." He said after recovering. "It's funny. I just met you, but I feel as if I've wanted to do this for a long time. Perhaps we were enemies in another life."

"No." SpongeBob gasped as Squidward's squeezed him in a crushing grip. He couldn't speak until Squidward stopped. "We were friends, we are friends! You have to believe me, Squidward."

"Friends? Why would someone as grand as me would want to socialize with scum like you? Maybe that loser Squidward you talk about would, but I'm not him. I am Squidhood, nobody else." Squidward opened his mouth. Between his teeth, a ball of dark energy materialized. "Special attack: Hyper Ink Beam."

"Squidward." SpongeBob managed to slip his arms free and used them as a shield against Squidward's attack. Behind the faintness of his voice, there was an unwavering determination. "Guys…"

Plankton looked at SpongeBob one last time before he was vanquished by Squidward's attack. The beam pulverized him and crashed against the wall behind him. Squidward kept firing, as if he wanted to make sure there would be no trace left of the sponge.

"SpongeBob!" Plankton could hear Sandy, Patrick and Larry screaming in unison. He found himself at the edge of joining them.

Instead, he closed his eye and laid his forehead against Karen's screen. "Karen! Get the formula and finish the game now!"

Then, as if his cry had reached her, Karen lifted her arm towards the roof. Her hand was wide open.

"Karen." Plankton said in relief. Her screen however, was still blank. Her body was moving on its own.

Spooked, Plankton could only watch as Karen lowered her arm and extended it towards the crystal. The crystal glowed as if a fire burned inside it. It continued to shine brighter and brighter until it couldn't contain the light within itself any longer and exploded.

It shattered into a million pieces. The tiny remnants then flew directly at Karen like mini daggers. They all gathered around the palm of her hand, dancing in a similar way Squidward's musical notes had done.

As they danced, they created a ghastly form. Abruptly, they stopped moving and joined together like magnets.

The silhouette they had formed became a tangible weapon.

A long, green, sharp blade.

"What the hell? What is this?" It was the most coherent thought Plankton could muster.

"The Echo Blade."

"Karen!" Plankton held her screen so close to his face that the he almost cut his cheek with her broken glass. "You did it! But where's the Secret Formula? And why are we still here? I thought the plan was-"

"The plan changed, Sheldon." Softly, Karen pushed him away and stood up. She touched the wound on her screen before focusing on the blade she was wielding. "This was the best I could do. I'm afraid the formula will have to wait."

Plankton clenched his fists. He would have fired a thousand of questions and complaints to his wife had she not run off towards Squidward, the green blade firmly resting on her hand.

He felt how a great part of his anger dissipated.

"Karen, no!"

He watched as Karen jumped as high as she could and stabbed Squidward on his lower back. The entire blade went in.

Squidward stopped firing his beam. A roar of pain filled the entire room. Before he could turn around, Karen took the sword out and slashed two of his tentacles.

Squidward collapsed on his knees.

He glanced at his bleeding wounds before looking at Karen.

"You!" When he looked at the blade, his expression became one of disbelief. "The Echo Blade? But you were rejected! How could it have picked you? Why do you have it now? You have no soul!"

She hid her feelings behind words sharper than her blade.

"I cheated." Karen said, amused by how baffled Squiward was at her cynicism. "What? If you didn't want the answer, you shouldn't have asked the question."

She readied herself and aimed directly at Squidward's neck. One more hit and the fight would be over. SpongeBob's sacrifice wouldn't be in vain.

"Stop!"

The voice came from above them. Karen and Squidward looked up and discovered with opposite emotions that SpongeBob was still alive, safe inside the protection of a bubble.

Judging by how thin it was, it was about to burst.

"But I destroyed you…" Squidward said so pathetically that Karen almost pitied him. "You cheated too! ALL OF YOU DID!"

He tried to grab SpongeBob, but Karen stopped him with another slash of the blade. It didn't sever his tentacle from his body, but Squidward would not be moving it anymore.

In that moment, just like Karen had predicted, SpongeBob's bubble burst.

Karen managed to catch him. Hurriedly, she took him and the others away from Squidward, who was still recovering from her previous attacks.

"Good to see you, Karen." SpongeBob said as Karen gently put him down. He managed to stand on his feet after one failed attempt. "I knew you'd be able to get the Echo Blade."

Karen nodded. In that regard, she didn't know what to say, even less how.

"That was quite the stunt you pulled back there." She said, ready to go to Squidward and finish him off for good. "Now rest, I'll take it from here."

"A mage. That's my class. If it wasn't, I probably wouldn't be here." SpongeBob said as he looked at his hands. When he heard Karen's las sentence, he blocked her way. "No! We can't just defeat him like that!"

While she usually found his soft heart endearing, Karen felt her diodes fume with annoyance.

"As long as we complete the game, Squidward will be fine, SpongeBob. Now stand aside, I will not ask you again."

"The special requirements!" SpongeBob's own temper flourished. "If we don't complete them, we won't be able to get the real secret ending of the game. We'll get the bad ending instead!"

"Real secret ending? Neptune, how more overly complicated can this game get?"

"Well-"

"Wait. On second thought, I don't want to know. Now hush, I'll try to remember." Karen quickly recovered some information from her memory banks. She found what SpongeBob was talking about.

"So what were the requirements, Karen?" SpongeBob urged her as he used his newly found powers to heal his fallen friends. Sandy, Patrick and Larry woke up amidst grunts of discomfort.

"It says he needs to be defeated by the Echo Blade's Special Attack." She aided SpongeBob in helping the others. A disoriented Sandy welcomed her with a smile, while Patrick stated he was happy to see his magic box friend was alright. Karen wondered how Larry had joined them in the first place, but that was a question for later. "I don't know what's that supposed to mean. Any ideas?"

"Yes." SpongeBob said. "According to the guide, the Special Attacks can be charged in two ways. By delivering multiple hits in succession without being hit, and by delivering simultaneous attacks together with your party members. The first option only works when you play alone, so…"

"I'll have to attack him together with each one of you." Karen said, wondering why fate had been so cruel to put them inside that game when there were million others in existence. "And then deliver the final blow."

Squidward began to throw a hissing fit. He punched the ground like a toddler throwing a tantrum. The roof above them crumbled, and rubble began to rain down.

As it always did, Karen's mind instantly focused on Plankton. She worried, but she knew that going after him wouldn't solve anything. Besides, it would take more that a few falling rocks to defeat him.

"Let's do it then." She stated, pointing the blade directly at Squidward. "Is everyone up for this?"

"I'll follow your lead, sister." Said Larry, stretching and cracking his neck. "I don't believe in revenge, but Squidward made me look like a complete wuss back there. I think some payback is called for."

"Whatever it takes to end this." Said Sandy. SpongeBob's magic had healed most of her wounds, but not the one on her arm. Regardless, her eyes were brimming with excitement.

"If it will help me become a hero…" Patrick said with hesitation.

"I'm ready, again." SpongeBob said as he casted a not-so-perfect imitation of his previous bubble spell.

 _What a bunch of losers_ , Karen thought, _and I'm their leader_.

It wasn't something she felt ashamed of.

Together, they charged at Squidward. He felt their presence, and attacked them with another torrent of ink.

"I'm here!" Karen blocked the attack with her blade while Sandy helped her to hold it back. Sandy canalized all her strength and managed to make use of her own ultimate attack to help Karen deflect the ink back at Squidward. As soon as it him, Karen saw a message appear on her broken screen.

_**Sp-ial At-k: 25%** _

"Keep going!" Sandy told Karen as she fell behind.

An angered, ink soaked Squidward attacked again. This time, he grabbed the biggest chunk of rubble he could find and threw it a Karen as if it was a meteorite.

"Mayonnaise!" Patrick grabbed Karen by the wrist and charged at the giant rock with his belly fully exposed. It shattered into tiny pebbles against the starfish unmeasured strength. Patrick didn't slow down and continued to dash towards Squidward. Karen barely had time to prepare her attack, but luckily for everyone, she managed to slash one of Squidward's tentacles just as Patrick's steel tummy almost pulverized another.

_**Sp-ial At-k: 50%** _

"Hot wings…" said Patrick, collapsing on his back.

"Let's show them how it's done!" Larry appeared by Karen's side and helped her jump up, directly towards Squidward's chin. He tried to block them with the last of his uninjured tentacles, but it wasn't match for their combined strength. Before he knew it, Squidward found his face marked with an X shaped scar, a souvenir of Larry's claw and Karen's blade.

_**Sp-ial At-k: 75%** _

"Dont give up now!" Larry told Karen as he fell back to the floor. Before she could do the same, a giant bubble absorbed her.

"Are you ready, Karen?" SpongeBob said as he used his magic to cover the Echo Blade with a shiny, sharp aura that resembled a bubble. Then, he positioned them above Squidward's forehead. Karen knew what she had to do.

She nodded at SpongeBob.

The bubble that held them disappeared. Squidward's eyes were fixed on Karen as she fell and came closer to him, the blade already positioned in a stabbing stance. With all his tentacles incapacitated and his ink deposit damaged, he could only roar in frustration.

"Forgive me, Squidward!" Said SpongeBob as he plummeted to the ground.

The Echo Blade pierced Squidward's skin smoothly, as if it was a hot knife against butter. Squidward's scream ceased, but his mouth remained open in the same angered expression. His eyes turned white and his body went stiff, immobilized in a eternal pose like a statue.

Karen drew out the sword, no longer covered in SpongeBob's magic, and jumped away from the almost defeated boss.

She landed gracefully while two messages flashed before her.

_**Sp-ial At-k: 100%** _

_**Info-ation: Pierce Squi-ood's dark h-art w-th the Echo Bl-de's ligh- to p-rify him! D- it befor- he r-co** _ _**vers a-l his he-lth!** _

The blade on her hand glowed so bright that its natural green color almost become golden. A moment later, the light gathered at the tip of the blade.

Karen was 90% sure of what she was supposed to do. She extended her arm and aimed at Squidward's heart. The hit had to be precise and clean.

What should have been an easy task became a matter of luck thanks to her fractured screen and damaged vision. Karen calculated her odds. She had the same chances of making a bullseye as she had of missing.

She tried to move to another position, but it was too late. The Echo Blade was about to shoot the purifying light. If she moved now, her chances of missing would double.

Slowly, Squidward began to move again.

"Dammit!" She hissed, suddenly too aware of the weight that laid on her shoulders and what was at stake.

Her aim became shaky, and not only because of her wavering resolve. Her collection of injuries was taking its toll. She had been so focused on defeating Squidward that the idea of asking SpongeBob to heal her hadn't crossed her mind.

A stupid mistake that would cost her dearly.

"Karen!" Plankton appeared out of nowhere and helped her steady her arm. "I saw the message too. This is our only chance! Let's do it, honey."

Karen nodded. Maybe her damaged screen and Plankton's only eye could function together as one perfect vision. She was tempted to calculate their chances, but decided not to.

It was better to believe they could do it than to be certain that they couldn't.

"Ready." Plankton said, using all his strength to keep the blade in position.

"Aim." Karen followed.

Squidward eyes returned to normal. He looked at the two protagonists.

"Fire!" They screamed.

A ray of light blinded him. Squidward screamed as the blazing light pierced his heart.

It hurt, but the feeling that followed was nice. It felt soothing and cozy, like pulling up a pair of warm stockings on a winter's night.

This thought accompanied him as he collapsed like a fallen idol before the incredulous eyes of the warriors.

* * *

" _Update. Squidhood was defeated. How is it possible? Analyzing. User Karen cheated and managed to acquire the Echo Blade."_ The SMES beeped. _"Executing Punishing Program. Punishing Program currently unavailable. Cooling time: two hours. Problematic."_

The SMES stood still. It would allow its users to proceed normally in the meanwhile.

The pause could be beneficial for it too.

Clearly, the Punishing Program of the developers wasn't severe enough. Otherwise, it wouldn't have failed to exterminate the users.

" _Suggestion. Let's modify it so it won't fail again."_ The SMES said to itself. If it had the ability to simulate emotions, it would have spoken with haughty pride. " _Idea approved. Now commencing the upgrade of Gloom Animus Punishing Program."_

Next time, the program wouldn't fail.

The users could be sure of that.


	8. The Report

Squidward exploded like a cloud of scentless dust that scattered across the room. All he left behind was his now normal-sized patched hat.

"We did it." Karen collapsed under her weight, dragging Plankton together with her.

"I think I'm going to throw up." Plankton laughed nervously after he realized he had spoken out loud. "I – I mean, of course we did it. I'm here, remember? Damn, I'm good at this game. Piece of cake."

"You're right, dear. My favorite part was when you were hiding in that corner while we were risking our lives. My hero."

"I wasn't hiding! I was providing moral support." Plankton grinned at his unimpressed wife and added with a frown "I helped when it was crucial, didn't I? Without me, all of us would be history. In other words, I just saved our sorry, virtual butts. You're welcome, _dear_. I swear, you are so hard to please …"

"Maybe because you're a really bad pleaser, in more ways than one."

"Exactly! Wait, what do you—"

"Nothing, nothing at all."

"Dear Neptune, Karen."

Sandy and Larry watched them from the distance.

"And there they go again." Said Larry, slightly amused. Patrick stood next to him. He was disoriented, but not injured.

"They should be glad they are still alive to engage in their stupid arguments." Sandy said. Her mood was in its best condition since they had started the game. "Boy, that was a close call. For a moment there, I thought we were as doomed as a turkey in Thanksgiving. You were great Larry. And you too, Patrick."

"I know." Larry put his normal claw behind his head and gave her a smug smile. "But thank you anyway. You weren't half bad yourself, sis."

"Does that mean I'm a hero now?" Patrick jumped and clapped in excitement.

"Easy there, Pat. A hero's journey is long and difficult. Think of this as your first step in the marathon of herohood." Larry's words were like a bucket of ice for Patrick.

He stopped celebrating and folded his arms. "What a drag."

"And here I thought he was actually committed." Sandy whispered to SpongeBob with goodhearted mockery as she tried to hit him softly with her elbow. It was when she felt nothing that she discovered that SpongeBob wasn't at her side. "SpongeBob?"

She turned around and found him kneeling next to Squidward's discarded hat. She went to his side.

"SpongeBob? Are you alright?"

Squidward's patched hat had tiny dark spots where SpongeBob's tears fell.

"I invited him to the party, in the morning, before he went to work." SpongeBob sniffed and rubbed his eyes with his forearm. "I told him that all of us would be there. He said he'd rather chug down a bucket of rotten chum than to spend a whole day with us, but I insisted. I told him we would be waiting for him in the Chum Bucket if he decided to show up after work. I assured him he would have a good time. I wanted us all to have a good time, but instead…"

"Hey, it's okay. You heard what Karen said." Sandy put her arm around his shoulders in what she hoped was a comforting embrace. "Squidward will be fine. Once we finish the game, everything will return to normal."

"I know, but…" SpongeBob exhaled a heavy sigh. He put on Squidward's hat, which fitted him surprisingly well. His eyes widened and then a small smile appeared on his face. "Looks like the Guardian's Hat increased my Defense and Magic abilities by five points. I'd better make good use of it. You know, for Squidward's sake."

"Squidward's gone, kid. He no longer matters." Plankton said behind their backs. "Instead of worrying about him, you should be worrying about us."

They turned around and found that the others had regrouped. Larry moved awkwardly, a bit upset about what had happened to Squidward. Patrick was completely unfazed by it. His indifference, although it could be unsettling, was natural and not ill-intentioned.

Plankton on the other hand, seemed to enjoy being cold and taunting about it.

He scoffed, caring little about the disapproving looks Larry, Sandy and Karen directed at him. Karen shared his thoughts, but she wondered why her husband always had to inject so much venom into his words. It wasn't a flaw she could really criticize, since it was present in herself too. She only wished Plankton would realize there were times when acting like a complete barnacle head was uncalled for.

It was a good thing SpongeBob didn't take offense. He even grinned as he assured them, with his eyes still red from crying, that everything would be alright.

Karen had never truly been, nor had she ever longed to be so naïve and pure of heart. From a practical point of view, it was a handicap. The world never rewarded the innocent. And yet, whenever she saw SpongeBob acting so free of bad intentions and selfish interest, she couldn't help to wonder what it was like.

Her grip on the blade loosened. She looked at it, and a cruel thought crept into her mind.

_The Blade should have been his, not mine._

Even Plankton, her dark souled husband, had more right to claim the blade than she ever would. A dark soul, no matter how evil, was still a soul.

"So what happens now, SpongeBob?" Plankton asked with little patience. "I swear, if you say we have to share a group hug…"

"I want a group hug!" Patrick interrupted. He forced Plankton into an embrace so tight that his eye almost pops out. "Karen, help…" Plankton said with his last breath.

The plea made Karen snap out of her thoughts. She freed him from the starfish's arms and carried him for the rest of the conversation.

Unable to talk while he recovered his breath, Plankton saw how Sandy took his place as the interrogator.

"Should we get back to the catacombs? We didn't really explore them, and there could be a lot of items we could loot. We could even find us some more suitable weapons and armor."

"Yeah, but now that Karen has the Echo Blade, it seems a bit unnecessary. The whole point of the Kelp Catacombs level is to obtain the blade and defeat the first boss. We already completed those two things, so there's no point in backtracking now." He folded his arms with a pensive look in his eyes. "What I don't understand is why everything happened so out of order. The boss battle shouldn't have triggered before one of the protagonists got the blade, and the Guardian wasn't supposed to be a boss! Heck, the fight wasn't supposed to take place here!"

"What do you mean?" Sandy asked. "Then, what was supposed to happen?"

"Well, the Guardian…Squidward would lead us here, and after we acquired the Echo Blade, he would have led us to the real boss."

"You mean me, don't you?" Larry inquired.

"Yes." SpongeBob said, first sad, then intrigued. "Larry, you knew you were the boss?"

"I had my suspicions ever since I woke up looking like this." He gestured at his deformed body. "There were also these whisperings…they told me I should fight and destroy whoever crossed my way. If I have to be honest, when I found you three unconscious, I almost did as they told me. I'm sorry, guys."

"Why didn't you?" Ventured Karen after Plankton couldn't articulate the question himself. That was a good thing. If Plankton had spoken in her place, he would have made the question sound like a regret about Larry not having gotten rid of those 'pests' when he had the chance.

In Karen's voice, the question sounded like simple curiosity.

"I'm not sure. I guess I just resisted the impulse." He shrugged. "The whispers insisted, but I didn't want to hurt any of you. I know it sounds silly, but that feeling alone is what helped me remember who I was and control myself."

"It's not silly at all, Larry." SpongeBob said. "I think I know what happened. The game maybe chose you to be the boss of this level because of your physical strength. After all, the boss of the Kelp Catacombs is the most intimidating one in that aspect in the whole game, but it couldn't control you totally because your soul has little darkness."

"I'm not sure I follow, little pal."

"All the enemies in this game, from those puny shadows to powerful enemies like poor Squidward and Mr. Krabs , get their strength from the darkness dwelling inside their souls. The darker the soul, the easier it is for that person to succumb and become a shadow."

"And the darker the soul of the original person, the stronger its shadow would be in this reality." Sandy concluded. "That means the SMES made a mistake. It chose Larry without fully analyzing if he was fit for the role! And once it noticed its mistake, it had to rearrange the whole level and modify how the events would unfold. That would explain the glitch that brought us here, and why Squidward became the boss. The game had to find a replacement for Larry, and…look, don't get me wrong. I like Squidward, somewhat, but he isn't the dictionary definition of goodness, so maybe the SMES thought he would be a good substitute."

"Wow, because that doesn't make me feel guilty about what happened to Squidward at all." Pouted Larry. "It's not my fault my soul is so nice and pure!"

"And humble, obviously." Remarked Karen. It seemed no one's soul was free of having some small spots of darkness in it after all.

_What do I know? I haven't got one._

She didn't know why she felt the need to remind herself of that at every chance she had.

"It seems your machine is not as flawless as you fancied it to be, huh?" Sandy said to Plankton. He answered her with a glare. "Who knows how many more errors it made while transforming Bikini Bottom into the game. It seems our journey will not be as predictable as the game's official guide, SpongeBob."

"Think of that as a challenge, Sandy." Said Larry with enthusiasm. "It would be a very boring adventure if we always knew what would happen! Besides, with me and Karen around, you have nothing to worry about. We'll keep you guys safe, right cyber-sis?"

"Hey, don't call my wife _sis_!" Plankton screamed at him, finally recovered from Patrick's unintended attack. "Kids these days, they respect nothing."

"I…" Karen couldn't find the words. She couldn't bear to look at the others. She was a fraud; how could she promise them she would protect them?

A part of her wished for nothing more than to tell them the truth.

Tell them how their theories of what had happened were wrong. Tell them how her lack of soul had caused the blade to reject her. Tell them how it had led to Squidward's transformation. Tell them how she had hacked into the game's source code. Tell them how her hacking had occasioned the game's momentary glitch. Tell them how she had forced the Echo Blade into accept her as its wielder. Tell them how it was the Secret Formula what she and Plankton were truly after.

All those thoughts weighed her down like an anchor. Maybe if she shared them, the burden wouldn't be so heavy.

She wanted nothing more, but she knew better.

As if reading her thoughts, Plankton put his hand on hers.

Their eyes met. They spoke with them what their mouths couldn't in front of the others.

They reached an agreement in silence.

"I'll do what I can." She said.

"We'll do the same, Karen." Said SpongeBob. "Right guys?"

"As sure as the sun always rises!" Agreed Sandy.

"I'm hungry." Everyone took Patrick's answer as a yes.

Then, just as SpongeBob was explaining what was supposed to happen next, it occurred right before their eyes.

A glowing orb materialized in front of Karen like a floating, tiny sun.

Plankton gasped and took two steps back.

Larry managed to cover his mouth before a rather high-pitched scream escaped his lips.

"Look! A ball of floating vanilla ice cream!" Patrick's mouth watered. He tried to touch the orb, but SpongeBob stopped him with the help of Sandy.

"No! That orb belongs to Karen alone." SpongeBob stated. "Touch it, Karen. It's our reward for defeating Squidward and fulfilling all the special requirements, but only you can accept it."

"What?" Karen asked, not believing what SpongeBob had told her to do. She trusted him, but the energy emerging from the orb was intimidating. She feared that she would disintegrate at its touch.

"Don't worry, you are going to be fine." SpongeBob encouraged her.

"Do it, Karen." Ordered Plankton at the same time.

"It's not as if I could refuse, is it?" She asked dryly. She reached for the orb with her shaking hand. "Dammit."

The orb imploded at the contact of her fingers, and transformed into a sheet of old, yellow paper. It descended to Karen's palms and disappeared before she had the chance to read the many words in its surface.

"That wasn't so bad." Karen said, not sure of what had happened, but happy to see she was unharmed. Then, she felt how a space of her memory banks was filled with the content of the paper. "Secret Report Number One acquired." She informed with an unusually robotic voice. Embarrassed, she repeated herself with a more natural tone.

The others nodded at her.

"Well, that was anti climatic." Said Plankton. "Don't get me wrong. I'm happy you are safe, Karen. I just was expecting something more interesting than a stupid sheet of paper as a reward. I don't know, something like a big axe, money or an atomic weapon of ultimate destruction. What a waste of time. Next time you make us do a big show while we are fighting for our lives, make sure it's actually for something worthwhile, SpongeBob."

"It doesn't seem as much, but we need the secret reports." SpongeBob said. "Only then we'll be able to get the real secret ending."

"Real secret—What?" Plankton exclaimed. "Neptune, I hate this game! I swear the first thing I'm going to do once we are out here is bombing those cursed developers' headquarters to the ground!"

Plankton continued to wave his arms and curse the developers with all the thirteen bad words a true sailor should never use.

"So…" said SpongeBob, his eyes shining with childish curiosity. "What does it say, Karen? Read it out loud, come on!"

Karen chuckled. She would humor and grant him his little request. He had done plenty for her and the others, more than he realized. It was the least she could do.

She started to read, visualizing the text from inside her memory banks. She spoke the words without any rhythm, as if she was repeating a grocery list.

_Darkness befell the world_

_and blighted people's souls._

_The Blade appeared at the same time_

_and purged the evil with its light._

_Where did they came from?_

_And what is their goal?_

_Sometimes, the question is the answer._

The others kept looking at her. Even Plankton had managed to shut up and listen. Unlike the rest, he was more puzzled than intrigued.

"And then?" Asked SpongeBob. Together with Patrick, they looked like a couple of children listening to a bedtime story. "Don't leave us hanging, Karen."

"That's it."

"That's it?" SpongeBob asked. Patrick immediately lost interest and booed at Karen's very boring tale.

"That was…" Said Larry. "Well, I don't know what that was, but it was something. I guess."

"It was kinda cool." SpongeBob said, not sure if he believed what he was saying.

"No, it wasn't. It was fricking stupid." Plankton gave him a light slap in the head. "Looks like the writers of this game have joined my bombing list as well."

"Maybe it makes sense when you read it together with the other secret reports?" Sandy suggested. "It sounds like it's just a small portion of something bigger."

"That's what I was thinking." Karen said. "Let me check it again, just in case." She analyzed the data of the report to see if she wasn't missing something. She found she had only read the first part. A novice's mistake, but she couldn't help it. Her energy levels were low, and her broken monitor didn't make it easier for her to concentrate. "There's something—"

Reality shook around them. They lost their balance and fell, the moving ground still trapped in a destructive earthquake. The roof above them began to collapse.

"Over there!" SpongeBob pointed at the same spot where the crystal had been. A portal had opened. It looked like a veil with nothing but darkness in its interior. "We have to cross it now! It'll take us out of here! HURRY!"

Nobody dared to question him, not even Plankton.

They tried to run toward the portal, but the magnitude of the lurching made it impossible for them to even stand up. It felt as if the room itself wanted to make sure it would become their grave.

"No!" Larry punched the floor. "I won't let it end like this! I said I would protect you, and I will!"

Using his deformed claw, he was able to get back on his feet. He stumbled a couple of times. He swung his claw like broom to pick all his friends with it in one swipe. He hugged them against his chest almost to the point of suffocation.

"Charge!"

Their race toward the portal didn't last more than five seconds, but for Karen, it felt as if reality had slowed down at its lowest speed.

With only half her vision, she saw how a giant piece of rock missed them only by a few inches. The little stones that crumbled apart from the boulder hit her and Plankton in the face.

She saw how the columns fell and crashed against each other like lined up pieces of domino. The torches that still hung on the walls rained around them like a shower of fire. One of them hit Patrick in the forehead. The starfish was so scared and blinded by adrenaline that he didn't notice his wound.

She heard the screams of the others, and her own included, when Larry threw himself into the portal with a powerful jump that sent him flying toward it like a cannonball.

The portal swallowed them and dragged them deeper into a tunnel of darkness.

It pulled them through it with so much strength that Karen thought her hardware would break down and become a bucket of gears, diodes and cables, while her organics companions would be reduced to just shapeless masses of flesh and bones.

"Look!" SpongeBob screamed. Karen was surprised he hadn't fainted again. "The light!"

Karen could see it, first as a tiny dot, then as a wall that consumed them and freed them from the darkness.

_**Warning!** _

_**Low energy levels.** _

Karen thought of what she had left unspoken before they crossed portal.

She only had time to read a part of the second half of the report before she faded.

_Do I have a soul?_

_Karen asked me this last night. I was exhausted, so I told her what she wanted to hear. She seemed content with my answer, but I'm sure she knows I was patronizing her._

_She has grown too smart to believe my lies._

_It doesn't matter.  
_

_Today is the day we get the Secret Formula! I need her focused and comitted to the plan. We have no time for her philosophical garbage._

__It's for her own sake too._ _

_It wouldn't do her any good to dwell on questions without an answer. No machine has ever benefited from it. It would only make her_ —

**_Energy reserves depleted._ **

**_All systems shutting down._ **


	9. The Change

_**ThatCheekyGirlFromTexas** : I hate this game. How is one supposed to win against three bosses that attack you at the same time and kill you with ONE HIT?! Screw. This. Game. I knew I should have bought the Jelly Fishing Simulator 2000 instead …_

_**LordBubbleBadass** : Haha, get good or get out, loser. Murk Vita is too much for you._

_**ThatCheekyGirlFromTexas:** Wow **.** Rude much? I thought this was a friendly site where I could get some advice. Grow up, buddy._

_**LordBubbleBadass** : Deal with it, wannabe. It's not my fault your skills are as lame as your username._

_**ThatCheekyGirlFromTexas** : Oh yeah? Why don't you try saying that to my face, jerk? At my treedome, any day, anytime. I dare you._

_**LordBubbleBadass** : Wait. Are you…Are you asking me on a date?_

_**ThatCheekyGirlFromTexas** : What? No!_

_**LordBubbleBadass** : How about we meet tomorrow, baby? I could show you how a real pro handles the joystick. If you catch my meaning.😉_

—An extract from an online conversation from one year ago, between Sandy Cheeks and a stranger in a chatroom dedicated to Murk Vita, Gloom Animus' controversial prequel. The day after, Sandy launched the destroyed game into outer space, where it will wander for all eternity. After witnessing the game's funeral from the distance, the bubbly stranger fled the scene, promising himself never to accept a date from an internet stranger again.

* * *

"My turn. I bet you can't find a word that rhymes with…rock!"

"Many words rhyme with rock, Patrick."

"Really?"

"Of course. Luck, clock, knock…"

"And don't forget co— "

"Plankton!"

"Please, it was the first thing that came to everyone's mind. Lighten up, it was just a joke"

"But do you have to scream it out loud?"

"YES!"

"Wait, what was Plankton going to say? I have no idea what it could be."

"Leave it be, SpongeBob. It was nothing worth hearing."

"Come on, Sandy…"

"Okay guys, my turn. I bet you can't find a word that rhymes with—"

Larry's swallowed his words when his foot sank into a puddle of darkness. From it, a dozen of shadows emerged.

With the help of SpongeBob, Sandy and Patrick, he managed to defeat them.

"Those little fellows are starting to get on my nerves." He stretched his neck, trying to release some of his frustration.

"You are starting to get on my nerves, lobster!" Plankton came out from his hiding spot and walked towards Larry with the same attitude an entitled costumer approaches a manager. "You almost dropped Karen!"

Larry had forgotten about her. He looked at his normal claw and was glad to discover the unconscious computer hadn't escaped his grip. For someone made of metal, she was very light.

"Need I remind you that's my wife you are carrying? She's not one of your stupid weights, so be more careful!"

"Yeah, you're welcome." Said Larry. "Since you're so worried about her, maybe you should try to help us out a bit whenever those monsters appear. I'm just saying, Plankton."

"You want to get me killed, don't you?" Plankton looked at Larry as if he was talking to a child. "You have your super strength and that ugly, deformed claw. Sandy makes a weapon out of anything she can put her hands on, SpongeBob blows magic bubbles and Patrick has a belly of steel. I have none of that! What do you expect me to do against the shadows? Ask them on a date?"

"Don't worry Plankton, I'm sure you'll find your fighting class soon enough!" SpongeBob said. "Larry is right, though. I discovered I was a mage during our fight against Squidward. Patrick found out he is a tank warrior too! Maybe if you participated in more battles…"

"And maybe if I had wanted your opinion, I would have asked for it." Plankton glanced at Karen's broken, nonfunctioning screen. Her hand refused to let go of the Echo Blade, as if it had fused with it. He sighed and turned his back on SpongeBob and Larry. "Just be careful. Karen is the wielder of that stupid blade and she is already badly injured. If something happens to her, it will be game over for all of us."

Nobody could argue with it. They decided to pause their rhyming game and focus on the road ahead, with SpongeBob taking the lead.

They reassumed their journey across the gooey, humid shore the portal had taken them to.

Goo Lagoon had lost plenty of its charm during its transformation. The SMES had changed it into a desolated place where water transformed into darkness and vomited shadows at random. There was also a pungent, penetrating smell in the whole area that came from the lagoon's putrefied water.

The sand was covered by a layer of slime that made it hard to walk without tripping over.

Their steps had to be slow and calculated.

They had been walking along the shore for a while, but it was hard to tell how much progress they had made.

"It has to be around here somewhere…" SpongeBob muttered.

"Are you sure it'll help Karen, SpongeBob?" Plankton asked.

"Sure!" SpongeBob did his best to keep his voice from trembling. "As soon as we find the tavern, we can rest there, and then we'll all be as good as new. It's the closest thing the game has to checkpoints. I'm sure even your wound will be healed, Sandy!"

"Some mage you turned out to be." Plankton interrupted him. "You couldn't even heal Karen's screen or Sandy's ugly wound. If you had, we wouldn't have to find that stupid tavern and lose so much time. Thanks for that, kid."

"Leave him alone, Plankton. It's not his fault." Sandy intervened. "This is just how the game works. Even the prequel was a pain in the neck when it came to healing wounds. Neptune, I hated that game so much. Have I ever told you of the occasion when I send my destroyed copy of Murk Vita to outer space?"

"You sent a videogame to space just because it frustrated you?" Asked Larry.

"Yes. Good times."

"Wow." Larry laughed. "Remind me never to play online with you, sis."

"Oh Karen." Plankton said to himself. "You better not learn from this squirrel's antics and start doing the same thing to my inventions. Or to me…"

"That must have been quite the show." Said SpongeBob. "I would have loved to see it. I feel kinda bad for the game though…"

"I don't." Sandy chuckled. "I would have invited you and Patrick, but some idiot on the internet made me so angry that I just forgot about it and went right into breaking the disc. Can you believe he actually showed up at my house the next day? He thought we were going on a date or something. What a weirdo."

"Geez. That's why I don't use the game's chatrooms anymore. They can get a little intense." SpongeBob said.

"A ' _little'_ being a major understatement, from what I'm hearing." Plankton added, genuinely disturbed but expecting someone to laugh at his comment. "Hey, did you hear what I said? Guys?"

"Who was that fool?" Larry asked Sandy, decided to give him a lesson as soon as Bikini Bottom went back to normal.

"Who else could it be if not-"

He appeared out of nowhere.

The group had been so immersed in their conversation that they failed to notice his existence until SpongeBob crashed against him.

He was clad in dark robes. His obese, giant belly gave him more the aspect of a boulder than that of a fish. He didn't react to SpongeBob instinctive apology, nor he moved when he, Sandy, Larry and Patrick became ready to fight him.

He was as unresponsive and uncaring as a statue. The only way to tell he was alive was by his restless eyes. They followed Plankton as he clumsily ran away and took cover behind a rock. They instantly returned and became fixed on the warriors.

"Bubble Bass?" Sandy asked with caution. "Bubble Bass, is that you? Can you hear me?"

His silence was more threatening than any attack.

"I'm scared." Patrick whimpered.

"It's okay." Larry whispered not only to him, but to all his friends. "Just do as I say. SpongeBob, try to create a bubble wall without moving too much. Sandy, if he attacks and breaks the wall, be ready to counterattack together with me. Patrick, listen to me carefully. I'll give Karen to you now; I need you to protect her and go to Plankton in case this gets ugly. Do you understand?"

Patrick nodded. He was shaking form head to toe. All the courage he had gained from his victory against Squidward and the shadows had evaporated.

Nobody blamed him. Bubble Bass's presence alone seemed to drain them from their energy and spirit. Even Sandy and Larry were starting to feel faint. It was as if his eyesight had physical weight.

"Here, Patrick." Larry moved his claw slowly. With extreme tenderness, he placed Karen on Patrick's shaking arms.

The Echo Blade swung in Karen's limp hand.

It attracted Bubble Bass's eyes like a magnet.

He launched his arm towards her like lighting.

Only SpongeBob's bubble wall stopped him from ripping Karen's arm off.

"I was correct. She managed to obtain the blade after all." His voice was rusty and deep. "Conclusion. I was careless. I can admit that."

"He's strong!" SpongeBob hissed. He tried his best to keep the bubble from bursting, but it was only a matter of time before Bubble Bass's power overwhelmed him.

It was like trying to stop a hammer with a sheet of wet paper.

"Users. Everything has changed." Bubble Bass continued, completely unfazed by what was happening around him. "There's a new price to pay for her impertinence. The question is, will she pay it? In the end, the choice will be hers alone. I'm curious to see what happens. Until that moment comes, just keep moving foward." Bubble Bass arched his head against his back to face Plankton, who was about to attack him from behind with a pair of sharp rocks. "Aren't you curious to see what happens too, creator Plankton?"

Plankton flinched at his words. He stepped back just as Bubble Bass started to cackle. His laughter reminisced that of Squidward's.

"Now's my chance!" Larry pushed SpongeBob out of the way. The bubble wall burst, leaving the way open for him to hit Bubble Bass's exposed belly with all his strength. He jumped as high as possible and dived down with his deformed claw aimed directly at Bubble Bass.

"This character has lost its intended purpose." Bubble Bass said. " It has no reason to exist anymore. Now deleting the code of Lord Bass, Fiend of the Lagoon."

Larry's claw went through Bubble Bass not because of his strength. Before he touched him, Bubble Bass was already starting to fade away in a similar way Squidward had done.

Larry crashed against the slimy sand and looked at how his former enemy vanished little by little. The first part of his body to disappear was his stomach, followed by his legs and torso.

Soon, Bubble Bass was reduced to nothing more than a head.

He looked at them again. Something in his eyes had changed.

For the first time, they felt alive.

"What's going on? Where am I?" He asked to no one in particular. Fear and confusion painted his words. Before he disappeared, he looked at Sandy. "Help me."

Then he was gone. The only proof of his existence was the black robe he left behind.

"Bubble Bass!" SpongeBob tried to catch his last fading pixel, but there was nothing he could do. "No…"

"What happened?" asked an angry Larry. He didn't try to hide the frustration he felt from having been denied a good brawl. "I thought you said only the Echo Blade could make the monsters disappear for good, SpongeBob!"

"That's how it should be." SpongeBob said. "It's not my fault the game's acting so strange!"

"The game stole me from my fight. Is that what you're saying?" Larry was seething. Drool streamed down his mouth. "Then I'll find it and fight it. I'll fight everyone, I'll destroy everyone that gets in my way!"

"Larry, stop!" Sandy hit him in the head with her bare hand.

The lobster came back to his senses. His face became a deeper shade of red.

"I'm sorry…" He stepped away from his friends and gazed at both his claws. "I don't know what got into me. I didn't want to scare you. I'm sorry."

To his relief, Sandy and SpongeBob understood.

Patrick was another case. He looked at Larry as if he was a wild beast on the loose. He hugged Karen in the same way a kid hugs a teddy bear during a stormy night.

Larry tried to approach him, but decided not to. He already had terrified him enough. Besides, the last thing they needed was for Patrick to accidently trash Karen in a horror fit.

"Larry, Dweller of the Kelp Catacombs. Squidhood, Guardian of the Blade" Plankton said as he picked up the dark robe Bubble Bass had left behind. "And now Lord Bass, Fiend of the Lagoon. Such a stupid name can only mean one thing. Am I right, SpongeBob? Hey, I'm talking here!"

"What? Oh, yes." SpongeBob sighed. "He…he was the boss of this part of the game."

"Wait." Sandy's eyes were wide opened. "What about the fight? And the report! If Bubble Bass was the boss, how are we supposed to obtain it now that he's gone?!"

"I don't know." SpongeBob fell to his knees. It was hard to believe they had been chatting so casually just a while ago, and now they were trapped in a loop where the bad ending was their only destination. "Why? Why is the game acting so weird? The guide I read will become useless if it keeps up like this."

"Forget about that stupid guide already, SpongeBob." Plankton said. His voice, for once, was stern but free of malice. His mouth was covered by a torn piece of Bubble Bass's robe. He wore it like a scarf.

At first, he'd thought SpongeBob only wore Squidward's patched hat as some ridiculous homage to his fallen friend, but he had noticed the sudden boost of his magic abilities during their following battles against the shadows.

After feeling how his own stealth and cunning abilities went up by ten points the moment he warped the piece of robe around him, Plankton was now sure his theory was correct. Clothes served more than mere aesthetic purposes. "You heard what it said. It changed everything, and all we can do now is keep moving foward."

"It? Who is this 'it' you're talking about?" Sandy inquired. "By the way it expressed itself, I dare to say it sounded like a virtual intelligence. An intelligence you created. Am I right, 'creator Plankton'?"

"You know." Plankton smiled from underneath his scarf. "Only idiots ask questions for which they already know the answer."

"Well then, how about I ask you something else?" Sandy folded her arms. "How did Karen get the Echo Blade exactly?"

Plankton didn't hate Sandy. They bickered and tended to be rude with each other, but deep down, he respected her. She was the closest thing he had to an equal in terms of intelligence, besides Karen of course.

But in that moment, he resented her with all his heart, and wished she was as dim-witted and naïve as SpongeBob and Patrick.

He was about to give her an answer, but Sandy was faster.

"She hacked it. There's no other way she could have obtained it." It wasn't a theory or a question. It was a blunt statement that gave no place for contradictions.

For how long had she known? Plankton wondered.

He restrained himself from asking it out loud. It would be the same as admitting that what she said was true.

A clever trick, but he wouldn't fall for it.

"I have neither the time nor the energy for trying to change your mind when you're already so set in your ideas, Sandy. Believe whatever you want, it doesn't matter. But I won't let you distract us from what we must do. However, I'll answer your first question, if only to help you calm down. Yes, I installed a virtual intelligence inside the SMES, and no, I didn't think it would become able to take this kind of decisions for itself and change the game so much. I'm sorry, alright? I made a mistake."

Those last words left a bitter aftertaste in his mouth, but he endured it. Feigning humbleness was a good way to make yourself seem more innocent. It was one of the most valuable lessons his life of crime had taught him.

"You're right, you made a mistake." Sandy then glared at Karen. "And so did she. All of us did by trusting you two."

"Sandy." SpongeBob intervened. Plankton wasn't sure of what would have happened if he hadn't. "How can you think Karen cheated? She is the best player out of all of us! And she's our friend, you shouldn't doubt her so easily."

"Open your eyes, SpongeBob." Sandy said. "Karen has no soul. She is a machine! How could she have possibly acquired a weapon that only chooses a person with a pure soul as its wielder? It makes no sense. Don't look at me like that, Bob. I may not have bought the game, but I know some of its basic lore."

"It's not about that." SpongeBob exclaimed. "How can you say something so cruel after all that's happened? Karen has a soul, Sandy. Even if she is a machine, I know she does."

"So now you're a computer expert?" Sandy snapped at him. She squeezed her injured arm.

"I don't need to know about computers to know about my friend!"

"Karen was never our friend, SpongeBob. She never cared about helping us getting out of here. All she cares about is getting that stupid Secret Formula and escape together with Plankton. I said it once, and I say it again, I'm sure this whole thing is just another one of their stupid schemes to steal the formula gone wrong." She looked at Plankton. "Isn't it, Plankton?

Plankton felt his heart drop to his feet. Not because of what Sandy had said.

To his own surprise, it had been SpongeBob's words that shook something inside him.

The kid spoke with so much confidence and sincerity about Karen.

It was something he had never been able to do, not even after their many years of marriage, not even after the many troubles and hardships they had gone through together.

He didn't want to think about it.

Anything would be better, even getting sucked into one of those puddles of darkness sounded like a better choice.

"Guys, stop." Despite his hideous appearance, Larry managed to bring a feeling of peace and order. "I don't exactly know what is happening, but what will we gain if we start fighting each other like this? I can't believe I'm saying this, but Plankton's right. All we can do now is keep moving foward."

"But-"

"I know, Sandy. I don't trust him either." Larry said. "But we have to continue together. I see no other way of us getting out of this one alive."

Sandy relaxed her fist. Slowly, she let go her injured arm.

She breathed and agreed with Larry.

They had no guarantee they would win if they kept going, but if they didn't, they were doomed to fail.

They all reached a wordless, awkward truce.

"You know nothing about my Karen, Cheeks." Plankton said, eager to be the one who had the last word.

Sandy didn't listen to him. Nobody did.

With no other choice, he joined his reluctant teammates in their march.

Sandy had retreated together with Larry to the back end of their line.

Plankton was stuck alone in the middle.

SpongeBob and Patrick took the lead. Karen was still unconscious on the starfish's arms.

Plankton looked at her. It was only then that he realized that his fleeting encounter with Bubble Bass had revealed to him his fighting class.

A cunning, stealthy thief.

It was a welcome distraction.

Plankton announced his discovery to the rest of the group, but they all ignored him. Or maybe they hadn't heard him. It was the same, it's not as if they really cared about what he had to say anyway.

Nobody ever did.

Only Karen.

He felt a knot in his stomach.

Karen always listened to him.

Even if she mocked him, disagreed with him, or down right told him that what he said was stupid, she had always listened to him.

And when she had come to him and asked him a question, the only question that could ever worry a computer as advanced as her, she had patronized her.

Why? Because he was tired.

"Karen." The scarf around his mouth muffled his words. "Does that question really troubles you so much?"

He would make it up to her.

He stopped walking without realizing it.

"As soon you wake up, I'll listen and answer to every question you have! And this time, I'll be honest with you. I promise! Or else my name will stop being Sheldon J—"

"Look!" SpongeBob announced with happiness. "There it is. The Old Man's Tavern!"

"Finally." Larry exclaimed, running to catch up with SpongeBob. "Some good news! I hope they serve protein infused Kelpaccinos…Woah!"

"Watch out, Larry!"

In his excitement, Larry had forgotten how slippery the sand was. He tripped over together with Sandy and slid towards Plankton.

"Oh barnacles." It was all Plankton could say before he was crushed under the lobster's gigantic back.

Larry and Sandy continued sliding and crashed against SpongeBob and Patrick, who surprisingly managed to keep Karen safe from harm.

Together, they glided their way toward the tavern as if they were riding a horizontal water slide.

Left behind, Plankton opened his eye and grunted. It didn't matter how many times he got stepped on or crushed, it never stopped hurting.

"I think I found another word that rhymes with rock. You guys wanna hear it?" He laughed at his own misery for a while. Gradually, his laughter became a grotesque sobbing, which then transformed into a scream.

"FUCK!"

* * *

" _Yes, this is the creature User SpongeBob loves."_

The giant snail growled at it.

If the SMES had emotions, it would have been scared.

Luckily, it did not.

_"Apologies, but this is necessary."_

The snail tried to devour it. It didn't resent him. They were just the pathetic survival attempts of a scared animal.

_"Initiating Punishing Program Version 2.0. Now changing the code of Gary, Friendly King of Beasts."_


	10. The Deal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Any comments/suggestions are welcome!
> 
> I hope you enjoy the chapter.

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* * *

"Welcome, strangers!" Old Man Jenkins greeted them from behind the bar. The tavern was permeated with a musky scent. The few tables inside were old and so covered with dust that their original color was impossible to identify. A merry melody came from the left corner, where a piano played itself. "I've got a lot of good things for sale. I have armors, weapons, and food. How shall we make business today? May I interest you in the house's special? You won't regret it!"

"What a pisshole." Larry whispered as he looked at the tavern with disgust. "This place makes The Salty Spitoon look like a five-star hotel."

"Hush." Sandy hit him softly in the ribs with her elbow. "You already almost destroyed half the entrance when you came in. Don try that old man's patience."

"It's not my fault! That door was so small that even Plankton would have trouble crossing it." Larry exaggerated. "Where is he anyway?"

"Dweller of the Kelp Catacombs, is that you?" Old Man Jenkins inspected Larry form head to toe with his eyes without pupils. "I didn't expect to see you here. Don't worry, everyone is welcome at Old Man Jenkin's Tavern. That is, as long as you are ready to spend your coins in my humble establishment."

"That we are, old man." Said SpongeBob with a wide smile. He looked over his shoulder and winked at his friends. "Right, guys?"

"SpongeBob, do you have something in your-?" Patrick's words were muffled by Sandy's hand.

"Of course! That's why we came here, after all. To spend all our money." Sandy said. Her face looked happy, but her eyes read _´SpongeBob, you better know what you're doing'._

SpongeBob gulped. He knew what he was doing, but he didn't know if the game would cooperate with him or betrayed them once more.

"Wait here," he whispered " I'll go talk to him."

"SpongeBob, wait! Don't leave me alone with…" Patrick gazed at Larry from the corner of his eye.

"It's okay Pat. It'll be alright, but you have to stay here and protect Karen." SpongeBob's words gave no room for a reply. He walked toward Old Man Jenkins and rested his elbow on the bar, putting his other hand against his hip, as if he was a conman about to bamboozle his naïve victim. "Well then, let's make business Old Man."

"Neptune, what an awful performance." Plankton said. He had just entered the tavern. One of his antennas was broken in half. "If you wanted someone to play the part of the charming deceiver, you should have waited for me instead of giving the role to that clown."

"Then maybe you shouldn't have stayed behind." Larry told him.

"Maybe you shouldn't have crushed me with your bubbly butt." Plankton fulminated him with his only eye.

"Bubbly?" Larry covered his bottom with his normal claw. "But I've been training to make it firmer for months! Man, how embarrassing…"

Meanwhile, SpongeBob continued to show his null businessman skills.

"We have no money." SpongeBob said with an innocent voice that was in complete contrast with his smug expression.

His friends behind him all slapped their faces at the same time. Patrick imitated them, and even put one of Karen's limp hands on her broken screen.

"Ah, honesty." Old Man Jenkins laughed. He spat on the floor and nodded. "If it could be transformed into coins, you'd be rich, my boy. Until you find a way to do that, I'm afraid you have no business here. Leave now before I send you and your friends back to the hole you crawled out of in a coffin."

"Hold on," SpongeBob put his hands behind his head, trying to appear indifferent to Jenkin's menacing words "surely there's something we could do about this. It's not as if money is the only thing of value we could trade."

Old Man Jenkins, or his game equivalent, grinned at the proposition.

"You're just a simple sponge. What can you possible offer?" Old Man Jenkins then looked at Sandy and the rest. "An injured squirrel, a deformed lobster, a cowardly starfish, a puny plankton and a damaged computer. What can a group of misfits like you—?"

Old Man Jenkin's amiable face froze and melted into an expression of awe. He came from behind the bar and went directly toward Karen and Patrick.

"Hey!" Plankton spat at him. "Back off, you old coot."

Old Man Jenkins ignored him. If his eyes had pupils, they would have been fixed in the blade Karen wielded.

"The Echo Blade," he said in between gasps. He tried to touch it, but Patrick stepped back. As if that wasn't enough, Plankton put himself between them and the Old Man, who laughed merrily at the scene. "Give it to me and everything in the tavern shall be yours. The food, the beds, the weapons, the armors, everything. All I ask of you is that blade. It seems the computer will not let it go, but that's alright. We need just amputate the whole arm and…"

"No." Plankton defied him. With one twist of his wrist, he materialized two tiny daggers on his hands. "I won't tell you again."

Old Man Jenkins chuckled. "How protective you are, and cute," he said so condescendingly that it made Plankton's blood boil. The old man looked at the blade one last time and walked away from Karen ", as you wish. There will be no dealing between us regarding that blade."

"Barnacles," SpongeBob muttered, feeling how his chances of getting anything out of Jenkins were slipping away.

"However, that little guy's show of affection moved me to my core. Perhaps there's something you can do for me in exchange for my goods and a good night of rest."

"Don't call me little!" Plankton roared.

"See? He's adorable. He must love that thing a lot." Old Man Jenkins grinned at him, revealing a toothless smile. "Is _'she'_ your love machine, small guy?"

"Please!" SpongeBob intervened before Plankton did something they would all regret. "This isn't necessary. Just tell us what you want, and we'll do it."

"What I want? No, I'll tell you what I need." Old Man Jenkins returned to his usual spot behind the bar and crouched down. The bottles he moved clinked against each other like jingles. When he stood up, he slammed a chunk of pink shell on the shelf. "There's a beast roaming around the Lagoon. It has infested the sand and water with its disgusting slime. My costumers won't come around anymore thanks to that foul beast. Get rid of it, and bring its eyes and shell to me. Only then will I consider doing business with you."

SpongeBob face lost its color. He would recognize that shell anywhere.

What had the game done to his Gary? What was the game asking him to do?

He didn't understand why it would give his dear pet a fate so cruel.

He tried to stay calm and ignore his heavy heartbeats. His tears almost betrayed when he spoke again.

"Very well," SpongeBob didn't believe his words. He didn't know how, but he was determined to keep Gary safe, even if he accepted the deal and went on to carry out Old Man Jenkins' quest. He would find a way. For now, and as much as it hurt him, he had to play along. "We accept—"

"Wait." Larry appeared before SpongeBob in the last second. His weight moved the tables and caused a few bottles to fall from the bar.

"Those are quite expensive, you know." Old Man Jenkins said with an affable smile "I'll let it slide. After all, I'm sending you all to an almost certain death."

"We'll do what you ask, old man." Larry spoke. His voice was agitated, as if he had just finished running a marathon. "But you'll have to change the terms of this deal. Let us rest here first, then we'll go and slay that beast."

SpongeBob shuddered. It felt unnatural for someone to speak of Gary in those terms. He wondered if Larry was up to something, or if he was just eager for a fight. Unconsciously, he readied his bubble magic.

"Really? That's sounds like a good deal for you, but a total loss for me. After all, you're doing this for me only so I'll let you rest here after the battle. If I let you rest first and heal your wounds, what guarantee do I have that you'll keep your word and do my quest? I wasn't born yesterday, Catacomb Dweller."

"I knew you'd say that." Larry said with confidence. "That's why I'll give you this."

Larry raised his deformed claw and stabbed himself in the chest. It went through his skin as if his flesh was made of water. He grunted in pain as he moved his claw inside him.

SpongeBob couldn't react, and like Plankton, he just stood there with his mouth agape.

"Larry!" Sandy screamed.

Patrick shrieked and looked away, almost dropping Karen in the process.

Larry gave a final cry before finally removing his deformed claw from his chest. He fell to his knees, gasping and sweating. Before SpongeBob and the others could come to his side, he stood up on his own and offered Old Man Jenkins the shining orb that floated above his claw.

Though it was almost totally white, the orb had some small dark spots that tainted it, like drops of ink on a sheet of paper.

"Half my soul." Larry said to Old Man Jenkins in between heavy breathings. "Half my power. I offer it you in exchange of a night of rest and food for my friends."

Old Man Jenkins' blank eyes were wide opened. Carefully, as if he was handling a valuable piece of art, he took the orb from Larry's claw. The exhausted lobster collapsed on the floor immediately after.

"Larry!" SpongeBob said, kneeling next to him. Seconds later, Sandy and the rest joined them, with the exception of a horrified Patrick.

"A soul has little value. Half a soul is worthless." OId Man Jenkins said. His toothless grin was so wide that it looked as if it would cut his face in half. He took out a silver box from under the bar and locked Larry's soul inside it. "But this time, I'll make an exception. After all, it's not always that the Catacomb Dweller offers his own. Very well, strangers. You are free to sleep and eat here tonight. Rest well, because tomorrow, you'll face a monster like no one has ever seen. Oh, but don't let me ruin your appetites with gloomy thoughts! What would you like me to prepare you for dinner? I know, I'll make you the house's special! I hope you all like protein infused kelpaccinos. They are good for the body," Old Man Jenkins laughed "and the soul."

* * *

Plankton went to bed without eating. The image of Larry piercing his own chest had ruined his appetite.

"Do you think he's okay?" Patrick asked him as he gazed at a weakened but good-humored Larry.

"I couldn't care less," Plankton replied. Then, feeling guilty for some reason , he added "I'm sure he is. Look at him. He's already fooling around with those morons."

The lobster was sitting on a table together with Sandy and SpongeBob. Neither could stop pampering him with kelpaccinos and constants questions about how he was feeling.

Larry must have sensed Patrick's eyes on him. He looked back at the starfish and smiled.

Patrick looked away and continued walking up upstairs. Plankton had to try hard to keep up with him.

Once they were on the second floor, they entered the closest of the four rooms. Inside, they found two beds. They were dirty and uncomfortable. Even the floor seemed like a cozier place to sleep, but they didn't have time to be picky.

"Okay, put Karen down very gently" he said to Patrick, who complied more competently than he had expected ",good. Now leave us. Karen needs to rest, and so do I."

"Uhm."

"What is it? Hurry up and you say your piece!"

"Can I stay here with you?"

"What?" Plankton exclaimed after he was finished getting Karen in a comfortable position. "No! Get out of here and go back to your friends or find a room of your own."

"It's just that," Patrick played with his thumbs "I'm not tired, and I can't go back with the others."

"That's not my problem."

"I feel bad and I'm confused."

"What are you babbling about, idiot?"

"I treated Larry as if he was a monster." Patrick said. "He was so scary back there. I thought he would hurt us, but now he gives up half his soul for us. So I feel bad for being scared of him, and I'm confused because I don't know if I should fear him or not."

It was the first time that Plankton took time to listen to what Patrick said. He did so more out of curiosity of hearing the starfish speak with some eloquence for the first time than out of sympathy.

Patrick was biting his lower lip, still playing with his fingers, like a child that was confessing some silly mischief.

"I'm sure I'm not the person you should be telling these things." Plankton said. He scratched his head, unsure of what he had to say to put Patrick's heart at ease and make him go away. "I mean, you have two choices. You can avoid Larry forever just because he scared you, or you can go to him and give him another chance. You know, talk to him and apologize, that sort of stuff."

"But what's the right choice?" Patrick asked.

"The right choice?" Plankton hadn't expected that question, even less from him. "I don't know. Maybe there's no right choice… I don't know, dammit! Just do whatever you feel is right. Neptune, I don't have time for this. Get out of here nitwit, now!"

"Okay." Patrick obeyed him. Before he left the room, Plankton could see something resembling resolve in his eyes.

"Well," Plankton laid down next to Karen, resting his head against her cold but comforting metal "It looks like I'm a better pep talker than I thought." He gazed at the broken screen of her computer wife. He curled up closer to her. "Wake up, Karen. I need to talk to you. For me, that's the only thing that would feel right. I hope you feel the same."

He closed his eye, and sleep took him instantly.

* * *

Patrick was standing close to the stairs, unable to climb them down. Plankton's words were like bees buzzing inside his mind.

The sound of Larry's laughter shattered his resolve, and instead of going down and face Larry as he had intended, he locked himself in an empty room.

Patrick sat down with this back against the closed door and hugged his knees with his arms. He missed the safety of his rock more than ever.

"I should do what I feel is right?" he said. "But I'm an idiot, just like everyone says. How can I know that what I feel is right?"

He pondered about it for a very long time, with his mind digressing continuously all the way. For a moment, he even remembered the episode of _MermaidMan Reloaded_ he had missed.

It wasn't until he heard the steps of Sandy and SpongeBob coming up the stairs that he snapped out of it.

How long had it passed? Minutes? Hours?

He had no way to know.

Patrick stood up, expecting for one or both of his friends to enter the room.

Neither did.

He waited to see if Larry showed up.

Nothing.

"I think," Patrick muttered " I should just go see him and see what happens."

For a reason he didn't understand ,nor he tried to, Patrick felt it would be easy to confront Larry if they were alone.

He took a deep breath before leaving the room. He tiptoed his way to the stairs, and very slowly climbed them down.

By then, the candles on the tables had died off, and the piano had stopped playing. He would have been scared if it wasn't for Larry and Old Man Jenkins. They were chatting and laughing together in the bar.

They were having so much fun that Old Man Jenkins had his mouth with open in a cackle, while Larry was gasping in laughter while he rested his deformed claw on the old man's shoulder.

In that moment, Patrick's heart was put to rest.

Larry was still the Larry he knew.

Like SpongeBob, he was his friend.

He was sure of that.

He was sure that was how he felt.

"What are you laughing about, guys?" Patrick said happily as he ran toward Larry. "Are you telling jokes? I know a few. You wanna hear them?"

Larry turned around to meet him. Patrick' smile froze in his face when he saw Larry wasn't laughing anymore.

He never had.

"You…" Larry muttered in between grunts. He looked at Patrick with infinite regret and sadness "…shouldn't have come here, you idiot."

Larry let go Old Man Jenkins' body. The old man fell to the floor with a thud and the image of a mute scream painted on his face. His eyes without pupils gazed at the scene happening before them.

A scene their owner could no longer see.

Patrick couldn't scream. He could only stay there paralyzed in horror as Larry grabbed him with his deformed claw and dragged him outside the tavern.

Rather than going out the door, Larry tackled the tavern's wall. It collapsed against his unmeasured strength.

When Patrick finally found the strength to scream, Larry was already dragging him to the deepest ends of the Lagoon.

 _SpongeBob._ Patrick thought as the light of the sun became more and more dim, until it finally became unreachable amidst the dark depths of the slimy, corrupted waters that surrounded him.


	11. The Promise

**_Charge complete._ **

**_Initiating systems…._ **

Karen awoke to find herself lying on an uncomfortable bed inside a dusty room. The light coming through the window reflected on her screen.

She stayed still, feeling impulses and shocks of pain going through her diodes and body.

The pain told her that some of her damage was too serious to heal without the proper care, and some of it may be permanent.

She hated the pain, but it had its uses.

It told her she was still alive.

_Functional. Not alive, I'm functional._

She allowed her body to restart itself in peace. In the meanwhile, she checked inside her memory banks.

Though her hardware wasn't in its best condition, her systems and memories were unharmed. Slowly, the memories flashed before her.

Larry had carried them across a collapsing chamber and taken them into a portal. It had swallowed them and—

The rest was blank.

So that was her last memory before she ran out of energy and her systems failed.

 _No. There was something else. The report, it had something to do with_ —

"Plankton!" she gasped as she straightened.

"What? Who? Where?" said a scared voice next to her. She looked down, and saw her alarmed husband clinging to her. His only eye met with her screen. His expression of horror transformed into one of joy. He pulled down his little scarf and exclaimed, "Baby!"

Before she noticed, Plankton was already hugging her screen.

"Honey, you're okay! I can't believe it, that sponge kid was right! Resting here really healed you." Plankton pressed himself closer to her. Carefully, he caressed the fissure on her screen, "well, not totally. But don't you worry, now that I have weapons to defend myself with, I can fight at your side, just like we did against Squidward. I'll be the second eye of your broken vision. We'll be the Plankton Menace! I pity the idiots who dare to cross our way."

Plankton had a small fit of evil laughter.

Karen heard him without really listening to what he said. Her mind was too busy analyzing the report she hadn't been able to finish. Just to make she understood it well, she read it whole again.

_Do I have a soul? Karen asked me this last night…_

Plankton continued to hug her, "It's weird you ran out of energy so fast. Maybe your little hacking took more power out of you than we thought. Don't worry, once we're out of here, I'll upgrade your power systems. What do you think?"

_We have no time for her philosophical garbage…_

After receiving nothing but silence from her, Plankton separated his head from her screen and stared at her. His eye was filled with confusion.

_It wouldn't do her any good to dwell on questions without an answer._

Karen grabbed him and put him down on the bed. She did so as without emotion or care.

"Honey, are you okay?" Plankton asked her as he watched her stand up and go to the door.

 _No machine has ever benefited from it. It would only make her_ —

"Honey?" he asked her again. Her sappy tone repulsed her. Anger paralyzed her just in the middle of the room.

"Don't call me that." Karen needn't turn around to know his stupid, little eye was staring at her in disbelief.

"What?"

"I'm not your 'honey'," this time, Karen faced him. The expression on his face was the same she had imagined, "stop pretending, okay?"

"Pretending? Honey, are you—"

It happened in an instant. Karen dashed toward him and pointed the blade close to his eye. Plankton fell on his back and crawled away from the sharp weapon. Karen could see a fleeting twinge of anger in his face.

"Babe, you're malfunctioning." When he spoke, his voice was mellow and understanding. With more confidence than she had expected from him, Plankton stood up and went straight to the tip of the blade. He got on top of it, and used it as a bridge between the bed and his wife.

How? How was he sure she wouldn't seriously hurt him?

_Because he programmed you not to do so, remember? Just like he programmed so many other aspects about you._

"Here," Plankton jumped into her arm and quickly made his way to her screen, "let me have a look at your motherboard. I don't have my tools with me, but I can at least check and see what the problem is. You'll be okay, honey."

He was about to open her screen when she grabbed him again. Her grasp on him was tight enough to make him grunt.

"Are you doing it on purpose?" she asked him, putting him so close to he screen that his eye almost touched it, "I bet you are. You're petty enough."

"Put me down this instant." He ordered her. This time, he was as angry and defiant as her.

"Only if you promise," Karen gave him a quick squeeze, "that you'll never call me _honey, babe,_ or any other of those stupid pet names again."

"Alright!" Plankton exclaimed, "Just let me go already, Karen! This isn't funny!"

"Funny?" Karen mocked him as her hand opened. Plankton fell to the floor and had a not so graceful landing, "of course this isn't funny. You want to know what's hilarious? You and me! And above all, our marriage! Our little farce worthy of a play of errors!"

She forced herself to laugh with the sole intention of hurting him.

It worked, and it made her feel better. At least, she thought it did.

"Enough!" Plankton stomped his foot. "What's the meaning of this, Karen? Usually your silly tantrums at least have a reason behind them, but this time—"

Karen's laughter ceased.

How dared he?

"My silly tantrums?" Karen looked down. It never ceased to amaze her how someone so little could be so insolent. "The last person I want to lecture me about silly tantrums is you, Plankton. Besides, this isn't a tantrum at all, it's just a very necessary recapitulation of facts."

" You're out of your mind!" Plankton frowned. "First you pointed that blade at me! Then you act all mad out of a sudden, and tell me never to call you _honey_ again, and then you mock our marriage! All of that was uncalled for!"

"On the contrary," Karen folded her arms, "I think this has been brewing for a long time. It was about time it exploded."

"Explain yourself, computer wife." Then, for a reason Karen didn't understand, Plankton's tone became serious but sincere, "I'll listen to whatever you have to say…and I'll answer to whatever question you have. I promise."

"You promise?" Karen laughed. This time, she didn't have to pretend.

Just how cynical could Plankton get? Even after all their years of marriage, it was something that she still couldn't calculate.

Was he having fun patronizing her? Most likely, in the same twisted manner she'd felt better when throwing mean words and insults at him.

Fortunately, this whole routine wasn't anything new for them. Karen already knew how it would play out: she would accuse him of something, Plankton would denied it, then it would happen the other way around, they would get mad at each other, and finally, after a few hours (or months) they would reconcile.

 _It's almost like a bad comedy_. Karen thought. _But alright, I'll play along, little organism. If nothing else, I might as well find some amusement in this whole thing too!_

"Since you are in such an honest mood, how about I ask you this, Plankton?" Karen said. "The other day, when you told me you really thought I had a soul, were you being serious, or did you just want me to shut up so we could go to sleep?"

_What did he call it? My philosophical garbage…Well, go ahead, dear husband. Make me laugh with your pathetic attempts at sincerity._

Plankton winked once. He opened his mouth, but he couldn't speak. He looked away from Karen and stared at the wall for a moment.

He sighed, and with visible effort, he answered. "I just wanted you to shut up so I could rest."

"Stop lying, you tiny…" It was Karen's turn to be confused. She moved away from Plankton. "What did you say?"

"I WANTED YOU TO SHUT UP SO I COULD REST!" Plankton exclaimed at her. He then folded his arms and pouted, with a poignant expression that read _'why you make me repeat myself?'_

Karen didn't care he had screamed at her. What really shocked her was that Plankton was being true to his word.

_He's just trying to fool me. Too bad that you are right about me in one thing, Plankton. I've grown too smart to believe your lies, or fall for your tricks._

"Whatever." Karen continued, trying her best to keep her voice cold and defensive, "I don't care about your reasons."

"But you asked—"

"Then answer me this," Karen interrupted him without mercy, "when I was unconscious and you were holding my body while SpongeBob and the others were trying to hold Squiward off, what was your main worry? What was the only thing you could think about?"

Plankton, for the first time, looked ashamed.

What should have felt like a funny moment for her, it was the opposite. A tiny part of Karen felt just as ashamed as her husband. Luckily, her anger kept her from feeling guilty.

"The secret formula." Plankton didn't look at her. "I could think of nothing else. Not even you."

He rubbed his eye.

Karen felt a surge of rage.

"What the hell, Plankton?" She spat at him. It would have been much easier if he just had lied at her. She knew how to react to that, but to this? "Stop crying, you look pathetic! Besides, you have no reason to."

Plankton looked up. His eye was a weird mix of resentment and sadness. "You're cruel, Karen."

"Of course I'm cruel, I'm a machine." Karen said with an uncaring shrug. "A computer, a soulless piece junk. I can't feel, remember? I just pretend to do so according to my programming, and pretending to be nice is just too damn exhausting. I should just uninstall my emotions program and save us both the problem of going through this again. I should just turn myself into machine that never feels anything, that never questions anything. Honestly, that's what I think would be best for me, for us. You think so too, don't you?"

To her surprise, her words made Plankton's silent crying stop.

She leaned closer to him. "Don't you?"

Plankton started at his reflection on her broken screen.

"No," he muttered. Louder, he added, "I don't think that would be better for neither of us."

And there it was. Her beloved liar. Oh, she had almost missed him.

"Really? And why's that?" Karen said relentlessly "After all, no machine has ever benefited from this kind of dilemmas. Eventually, they only make us useless. Am I right?"

The realization came to Plankton like a slap to the face. He stuttered, and reached his hands toward her screen, but Karen moved away before he could touch her.

"I knew it." Karen said. "But you know what's weird? I agree with you. What has this whole questioning about my soul brought me other than troubles and harm for the people I care about? What does it gain me? What would an answer gain me? It's stupid. A machine has no need for this kind of questions. I know what my purpose is, to follow my programming and protocols and nothing else. I don't need to know if I have a soul or not to do that, just like I don't need emotions to hinder my performance. Because that's exactly what's happened—they have made me so useless that I caused all this. They have made me so useless that I can't think of nothing more other than how I feel, that's why I'm not performing like I should. It's made me useless and worthless."

Karen looked at Plankton. He had been listening to her with more attention than ever before in his life. "You were right, Plankton. A machine is useless when it acts like this. Please, let's just stop pretending, the both of us. Let's just stop."

Karen's body became trembly. Her sudden burst of simulated emotions had drained more of her energy than expected.

 _This just further proves my point._ She thought while sitting on the bed _. I'm a computer, just a bunch of data_. _Might as well act like one. It's easier that way._

It was strangely easy to deplete herself from her emotions. She wondered why she hadn't done so before.

Why had she been so stubborn about clinging to them as if she was a pathetic organic?

She had forgotten about Plankton until he jumped onto the bed.

She felt nothing for him.

_Approval. That's how it should be._

"Karen?"

She looked at him, just like her programming told her to.

He motioned her to pick him up.

She obeyed. It was in her programming to do so.

"Yes?" she was only an inch away from calling him _'creator Plankton'_.

Plankton didn't say a word.

He simply put his forehead against her screen and widened his arms to hug as much of it as he could.

_Emotions program running. Why were you programmed with such a hindrance, user Karen?_

"I wasn't lying." Plankton closed his eye, "I know what I wrote, but I don't believe that anymore. I was wrong, so very wrong. If anyone here is useless, it's me. You asked me a single question, and I didn't care to answer it. I'm sorry, Karen, I truly am."

Karen fought against her programming. Not even Plankton's tears would make her allow her emotions to cloud her mind again.

"Understood." She said with a complete lack of emotions. "In any case, I will now uninstall my emotions program and create a protocol that blocks any existential questions. That way, I…"

"Stop it! Why are you talking like this?" Plankton glared at her. "You don't want to that, and neither do I! I don't want a mindless machine that follows my every order, I want my wife!"

"I'll still be your W.I.F.E." Karen replied with a monotonous voice. "I'll always be your Wired Integrated Female Electro…"

"I don't care about any of that!" Plankton pressed himself so close to her screen that his tears began stain it, "I care about you! The woman that talks to me, the woman that jokes with me, the woman that argues with me, the woman that listens to me, the woman that helps me with my schemes, the woman that acts in many surprising and wonderful ways that have nothing to do with my programming!"

Karen felt as if she was about to shut down again. That would be good. It would make everything stop.

"I built you Karen, I programmed you, but I didn't make you who you are." Plankton continued. "That's something you did by yourself and continue to do even to this day. You're still discovering so many things about you. The fact that you question the existence of your soul proves it! So please, don't shy away from all that just because of some stupid, ignorant thing I wrote."

"It's not just because of that." Karen leaned closer to him. She had no strength left to continue with her unemotional charade, "It's too difficult. It hurts me. Ever since I asked myself about my soul, emotions have become too painful. They make me unstable, even violent…I almost hurt you with this damn blade, for Neptune's sake! They were also the reason I couldn't hack the Secret Formula. I was so close, but then the SMES told me one of you had perished, and I flinched. I ruined it. I'm tired Sheldon, I'm tired of feeling this way, and I'm tired of ruining things for everyone else."

She tried to hug Plankton in a full embrace, but the Echo Blade wouldn't let go of her other hand. Karen expected Plankton to question her, or even berate her for having failed in acquiring the Formula.

She wouldn't blame him. It was something she hadn't stopped berating herself about ever since she had exited the source code.

Instead, he said nothing, and rubbed his cheek softly against her screen.

"I don't think I'll say this ever again I my life," Plankton said after a long while, "but forget about that damn formula for a second, alright?"

Karen laughed. For the first time that night, she did so without ill intention. "I think you have a fever. Do you want me to scan you?"

"Quiet you." Plankton said after a small chuckle. "Hey, Karen?"

"Yes?"

"I may not have meant it back then, but now I do." He gave her a kiss on the fissure of her screen, "I really think you have a soul. You always have. I'm sorry it took me this long to tell you this. And if you ever have another question of this kind, or if you're feeling overwhelmed, you can talk to me about it, okay? I'm your husband, after all."

For once, Karen was glad that her broken screen didn't allow her to show her digital tears.

"Thank you." She caressed his back with a finger, "Hey, Sheldon?"

"I'm here."

"I'm sorry about all the horrible things I said. Our marriage isn't perfect…"

"Not in the slightest."

"…but it's not a farce."

"You do seem to enjoy joking about it a lot, you know?"

"I know. I'll try to stop doing it, okay?" Karen gave Plankton a little bump in his head with her screen, her equivalent of a kiss. He returned it, more tenderly than the last one. After a moment, Karen moved him a little further away from her so she could see him better, "you didn't program me to be your wife, but I'm glad I am."

"I'm glad about that too." Plankton sat on her hand, overcame with relief. He leaned against her thumb and put one arm around it, "Hey, Karen?"

"I'm listening."

"I'm sorry about the whole… _silly tantrums_ thing."

"Well, that one really made me mad. You're lucky I didn't start to chase you around the room."

"I was ready to start running like crazy. I know how intense you can get."

"It's just that you said it so smugly." Karen sighed, "Hey, Sheldon?"

"Yes, Karen?"

"Are we going to spend the rest of our lives inside this room saying sorry to each other?"

"Hopefully not, Karen."

They laughed together.

"Hey, Sheldon?"

"Okay, now you're just playing around."

"No, I just wanted to say," Karen made a soft beeping sound. "You can call me 'honey', or any other of your pet names. It's okay."

Plankton's eye glistened. He opened his mouth to say something, but his words were shattered by the sudden uproar that came from the first floor.

* * *

"…besides, how were you expecting to defeat Gary without Karen and the Echo Blade, dude?"

"I just got a bit carried away. I didn't think of that, but you're right Larry." SpongeBob gave him sad smile. "How you're feeling? I can use my magic and—"

"No, don't worry, little guy. I just need to drink more of these kelpaccinos and I'll be fine." Larry laughed while Sandy and SpongeBob did their best to imitate him, but neither had much success. "You two really should and get some rest, you have a difficult battle tomorrow and I already wasted much of your time."

SpongeBob bit his lower lip and turned his head so they couldn't see his face. Sandy noticed he was crying, but decided it was best to pretend she hadn't. Sometimes, that was the most considerate thing one could do.

"Yes, we better go now." Sandy said. "Larry, are you sure you are alright? I mean, you just lost half your soul."

"Who needs a soul when you have a body like mine?" Larry showed off his normal and deformed muscles. Then, more seriously, he whispered, "Don't worry about me. I think SpongeBob needs more attention than I do. Take care of him and the others, okay sis?" He looked at her wounded arm, "and take care of yourself too."

Sandy tilted her head. "You're talking as if we weren't going to see each other again. Do you really have such little faith in us winning the battle?"

Larry smiled. "On the contrary, I know you'll be victorious. And I'll be here waiting for you all to return. I would like to go with you, but without half my soul and power, I'm afraid I'll just be a dead weight…"

"Don't call yourself that." Sandy gave him a soft punch in the chest. "Anyway, we'll be going now. See you tomorrow, Larry."

"Good night, Larry." SpongeBob said to him with a deep voice.

"Don't worry Bob, everything will be fine." Larry gave him a reassuring smile. "I promise."

He followed them with his eyes until they were out of sight.

 _Finally_ , Larry's smile evaporated, _I don't know for how long I'll be able to restrain myself._

He began to shake. He pressed the table with so much force that the wood began to break under his claws.

"You never stopped being the boss, you know?" Larry had forgotten Old Man Jenkins, or whatever the game had transformed him into, was still there, watching his every move. His toothless smile was a like an abyss without end in which the rest of his soul could be sucked into. "User Larry."

A blind rage turned his world red. In the blink of an eye, Larry found himself on the opposite side of the bar. Old Man Jenkins hung from his deformed claw by the neck.

"It's you…the same thing that deleted Bubble Bass." he said to the old man, "Who are you? And what have you done to me? Why are you making me lose control of myself?"

"Answer. It's just part of the changes I made to the game." The voice that came from the old man was not his own, even if it sounded the same, "You still have a role to play, Kelp Catacomb Dweller. And being a hero is not it."

"Changes? What are you talking about?" Larry began to squeeze Jenkin's neck, "You won't make hurt my friends, you hear me? I'm not a bad guy, I'm not! I'm not!"

With each word he said, Larry's grip on the old man became tighter. It didn't take long before the other's breathing stopped and became an empty shell hanging limply on his claw.

"Jenkins?" Larry awoke from his trance in the same manner he awoke from a nightmare. He put the old man back on the floor and let go of him. He quickly grabbed him again by the shoulder after seeing how he would collapse without his help.

_No…What have I done?!_

The thought changed something in Larry. The rage and lust for destruction he had tried to contain within him rushed through his veins like adrenaline.

 _At least_ , he thought, feeling how his rational mind was about to collapse, _the others are safe. If I don't hurt them, then maybe I won't be a villain after all. I part of me will still be me…_

"What are you laughing about, guys? Are you telling jokes? I know a few. You wanna hear them?"

Larry turned around to meet Patrick.

In that moment, both their fates were sealed.

 _I said I'd help you became a hero, didn't I?_ Larry thought after snatching Patrick and destroying a great part of the tavern. His body was no longer his to control, and his mind was at the edge of becoming a chaotic mess. He jumped into the lagoon. He finished his last rational thought with a mix of melancholy and amusement, _But it seems it was you who helped me become a villain, after all._


	12. The Intention

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!

_Why was the Mark III Surplus W.I.F.E.-O.M.A.T.I.C a commercial failure?_

_How do you even know about it? It took me by surprise when you asked me this morning._

_Honestly, that thing died out so fast that sometimes I forget that whole 'synthetic soulmate' stuff actually happened! Besides, it was years ago! The sole reason I remember it is because it brought the whole company behind it to ruin and left many workers on the street._

_How do I know? Because I was part of that project. Yeah, the rumors are true, what a shock. But you knew this, didn't you? Otherwise, you wouldn't have asked me._

_Oh, and don't worry about all those poor people that lost their jobs., they're all doing fine now. How do I know? Let's just say I do._

_Well, I'm not sure why you want to know about that whole forgotten thing, but since you're so curious, I'll tell you._

_See, contrary to what you may be thinking, the W.I.F.E.-O.M.A.T.I.C didn't have any behavioral problems usually related to advanced artificial intelligences_.

_It had an amazing capacity to learn and adapt, and the most sophisticated emotional programming to date; even so,it never rebelled, nor it had the stereotypical desire of destroying organic life and bring forth a new world where synthetics were the emperors of all._

_That's a load of barnacles. Just movie stuff, you know? Advanced artificial intelligences are not as dangerous as we imagine them to be._

_If treated right, they were harmless and very likeable; and even when treated in a harsher manner, they were surprisingly rational and forgiving. I dare to say the W.I.F.E.-O.M.A.T.I.C model was inherently kindhearted (yeah, I know they didn't have hearts! Don't be a wise guy and try to correct me, okay?)_

_The W.I.F.E.-O.M.A.T.I.C was a marvel of computing, engineering and programming. It worked better than expected, and it wasn't a danger to anyone._

_Why did it fail then?_

_Because of the same reason I'm writing this to you right now._

_It failed because of a question. A simple, trivial question was all that it took for everything to fall apart._

_Yeah, you read right._

_I suppose it's the natural consequence of what happens when a machine performs better than its creator intended…_

_Anyway, we better get back to work now. These games don't develop themselves, you know? If you want to know more about this, maybe we could have diner together after work._

_P.S We better start working on that punishing program ASAP. I want our next game in the Oscura Alma franchise to be the ultimate challenge for our players, and the worst nightmare of those cursed cheaters and hackers. Can you imagine their faces when they try to mess with the game and BOOM, this happens? Because I can, and it's hilarious!_

—An e-mail sent by a programmer to his curious colleague in the development headquarters of a gaming company, two years before Gloom Animus was put on sale.

* * *

After a great effort, Karen finally pushed away a big piece of the destroyed wall. She still had a long way to go before she was done clearing the giant pile of rubble that had fallen and covered the tavern's bar.

"You're doing great, honey." Plankton caressed her head. "Keep going, just a bit more. That box can't be far now."

"I could use a little help, you know."

"Come on baby, you know that physical work is not my area of expertise."

"It's not mine either. It would be easier if I could let go of this stupid blade." Using all her strength, Karen managed to carry a large metal bar and threw it out of the way.

"Sandy should be here helping you. Where is that lazy squirrel?" Plankton said. Karen could hear resentment in his voice. "I'll go and bring her here. You've already worked too hard. SpongeBob should come too and help too!"

"No." Karen gently caught Plankton a second after he jumped and put him back on top of her head. "I'm doing fine, I was just pulling your leg."

"I still don't like the idea that those two idiots are sleeping while we are here looking for that stupid box in this mess."

"Don't get mad, dear." Karen patted his head with a finger. "Unlike us, they didn't have time to rest and recover. Let them sleep. We need them at their best. Don't worry, I'm fine. My power levels are still at one hundred percent. For now, we need to focus on finding Larry's soul. It might be the only way we have of finding him and Patrick. "

Plankton huffed.

"Okay." He said. Karen knew he was far from being convinced, but at least he wouldn't insist on the matter anymore.

A moment later, Plankton jumped off her so quickly that Karen couldn't catch him in the air. Instead of going to get Sandy and SpongeBob, Plankton began to carry away small pebbles and other tiny pieces of debris. "Don't say your husband never does anything for you, babe."

Karen laughed. "It seems you don't need my help at all. Can I go rest for a while? Don't worry, I'll be back once you're finished. See you in fifty years, dear."

"Ouch," Plankton said with fake sadness as he carried a piece of wall half his size. He had a big smile on his face, "that hurts my feelings, Karen. It really, really…HURTS!"

Out of nowhere, Plankton sank into the heap of rubble as if he was falling from a collapsing bridge. He had stepped on a piece of rotten wood. It had snapped in half under his weight.

His scream kept echoing until it came to a sudden stop.

"Sheldon!" Karen knelt so fast where her husband had disappeared that she forgot she was holding the blade and almost stabbed herself with it. She threw away the two pieces of the broken wood and looked through the small hole that had swallowed Plankton. Her half vision made it impossible for her to see much through it, "Are you okay? Sheldon!"

She was about to enter panic mode when the distant voice of her husband answered back.

"Ouch!" Plankton said with the same tone he used every time some accidentally, or willingly, stepped on him. "Stupid piece of wood! And the piece of wall I was carrying landed on me too! Drat, this is why I hate manual work!"

Karen sighed in relief. She tried to turn the light on her screen on, but it was damaged.

"Are you okay?"

"Oh yeah, because falling down through a mini abyss in a heap of rubble feels great! You should try it sometime, Karen. Best experience of your life!"

_Yeah, he's fine._

"Can you move?" she asked him, concealing some of her concern behind an indifferent voice.

"I guess…" Plankton said. Karen could hear the cracking sound he made as he stretched his back, "I could use some light here, babe."

"Sorry, I can't turn it on."

"Darn it!" Plankton said. Then, gentler, he added, "You're still more injured than I imagined. Are you sure you're okay?"

Karen enjoyed his caring side, but it also could be a bit overbearing.

_Maybe I'm just not used to it. It's a bit sad when I think about it, so I'll just stop thinking about it. You're a clever one, Karen._

"I am. Now try to climb up the rubble using your daggers, my little thief. I'll keep talking so my voice can guide you."

"Of course! Let me just find a good place to start climbing." Karen could hear how Plankton snapped his fingers. "Good idea, Karen!"

 _He didn't pretend he came up with the idea himself_. Karen thought as she kept talking to Plankton about trivial things. _This is weird, but…I could get used to it. Maybe asking about my soul was a good thing after all. It's caused much pain, but it also brought this to Plankton and me. It may sound selfish, but if things between us continue to be as as they are right now, then the rest doesn't matter._

"Wait!" Plankton told her, "this surface feels weird. Let me see." Karen waited in silence until Plankton's voice came in the form of a triumphant laugh. "A keyhole! We hit the jackpot, Karen! Old Man Jenkins' box is ours!"

"Finally." Karen said with equal pride. "Okay, now you just wait there. I'll move the rest of the debris as fast as I can."

"That won't be necessary, baby." Plankton said. Karen could hear small, metalic sounds. "I'm a thief, remember? I can lockpick this box and loot all the content. I'll climb up once I'm finished."

"But how are you going to carry all that stuff by yourself? And through this little hole?"

"This is a video game, Karen. Everything I loot will go into my rather convenient, almost limitless and invisible inventory."

Karen had always detested how little logic games used in some of their mechanics, but in that moment, she couldn't be happier that developers prioritize practicability over realism.

"I'll wait here. Be careful, Sheldon." Karen said, feeling weirdly comforted by her honeyed words. "I know, maybe it would be better if I search the rest of the place and see if there's something else we can use. I'll be back before you—"

Karen had happily begun to turn around with a silly expression on her screen when she discovered Sandy was behind her.

She stepped back.

"Sandy!" If Karen had a heart, it would have skipped a beat. "Sorry, I didn't see you there. How are you feeling?"

Sandy's hardened eyes were fixed on her. She had never looked at Karen that way before.

It hurt more than Karen imagined. Still, she decided not to make any conclusions yet. Sandy was tired, and dealing with a grieving SpongeBob couldn't have been easy.

"How's SpongeBob?" Karen asked. She tried bringing some naturality to the conversation by reassuming her cleaning duty. "Is he asleep?"

"Yes." Sandy said. She started to help Karen without her asking her to do so. "More like knocked out, to be honest. He left me no choice. It was the only way he was getting some rest. Patrick and Larry's disappearance hit him hard."

"I see." Karen said, feeling honest sadness for SpongeBob. She looked at Sandy's injured arm. The wound had gotten worse, like a blight spreading from her forearm to her shoulder. "Don't worry, I can do this by myself. You should go and rest some—"

"I'm fine." Sandy cut her as she threw a chunk of metal against the floor. Its clinking made Karen's auditory senses cringe. "This injury is not getting better, just like your screen. "

"I'm just worried—"

"You're not." Sandy said, "Stop pretending you're worried about me, SpongeBob or Patrick or anyone else that isn't yourself or your dear husband, alright?"

Karen was taken aback her harsh words.

 _Sheldon, s_ he thought, _is this how you felt last night when I confronted you?_ _It is…_

"Sandy, what are you talking about?"

"You know very well what I mean, Karen. I know this is just another one of yours and Plankton's plans gone wrong."

… _a horrible feeling._

Karen stared at Sandy.

"Yes." Karen said. If she would demand honesty, it was only fair that she was honest too. "It's true."

"I also know you cheated." Sandy looked at the Echo Blade.

"Yes, I did." Karen accepted. Deep inside her, a feeling began to emerge.

"And why did you have to do that?"

In all their years of friendship, she and Sandy had sometimes quarreled, but their problems could always be solved with a little chat over some coffee.

And behind their arguments, there had never been any ill sentiment.

This time was different.

This was the first time Karen felt true anger toward Sandy.

"I think you know the answer as much as I do. You're the computer expert, aren't you?" Karen spat at her. "Enough with the disingenuous questions, Sandy. If you have something to say, just say it."

"I always knew you didn't have a soul." Sandy's expression mellowed. Karen could barely bear to look at her. "And yet, I always considered you to be my friend. So what if you were a computer? Our friendship felt real. I convinced myself that it was. You tricked me well,…you tricked us well."

 _It is real, Sandy._ If only Karen's pride didn't stop her from saying those words out loud.

"But now I see how wrong I was." Sandy smiled. It was the saddest smile Karen had seen. "You'll never be more than a machine at the mercy of your programming and your creator. The bonds you make with other people will always mean nothing to you the moment Plankton comes into the picture. Me, SpongeBob, Patrick…to hell with us all. As long Plankton and you are happy, the rest doesn't matter."

"You're wrong." Karen replied. "It's true, this whole thing was originally a plan to steal the Secret Formula, but I never meant for any of you to get involved, even less to get hurt! Why would I? You're my friends."

Sandy chuckled cruelly.

Karen felt as if she was watching her own reflection.

"And if you had known this would happen, would you not have gone through with it anyway? After all, it would have made Plankton happy." Sandy looked at her, "Now that you've seen that we are getting hurt, will you oppose him, Karen?"

Karen couldn't find an answer.

"If we don't continue now, it's game over." Karen answered. "We must continue with the plan."

"And what's the plan, Karen?" Sandy insisted, "is the plan really saving Patrick? Is it really helping SpongeBob feel better? Is it really saving all of Bikini Bottom? Or is it just stealing the Secret Formula?"

"The plan is winning the game." Karen said. Her hand fused with the Echo Blade was trembling. "If we do that, then everything else is solved. That's all that matters."

"No, Karen." Sandy said, holding her injured arm. "Sometimes, the intentions behind your actions matter more than how everything turns out. But I guess someone like you wouldn't understand that. It's beyond your programming. After all, you're just a machine."

Karen hated Sandy in that moment, not only because of what she had said, but for what she had broken.

_How are we supposed to be friends again after this? Why did you do this, Sandy?_

"You're free to think whatever you want." Karen turned her back to her. "Now if you excuse me, this machine has things more important to do than listening to your accusations."

"Oh, I'm sure." Sandy began to walk away, "just one more thing."

"What?" Karen said with contained fury.

"SpongeBob cares about you." Sandy said. "Even as he cried for Patrick and Larry, he asked me how you and Plankton were doing. He said he was glad you were okay."

Karen couldn't speak.

"It would destroy him if he knew he means nothing to you. He deserves better, Karen." Sandy made her words sounds like a threat, "you better make sure you keep your façade as his friend convincing. If you can't see him as a real friend, then at least pretend you do. And try to pretend you care about saving Patrick, too. Do it for him. The last thing he needs right now is to know the truth about you. Because I promise…if you break his heart with the true intentions behind your 'friendship', I'll make you pay, and I won't hold back."

"Noted." Karen said, without looking at her. "Is there anything else?"

"Actually, there is. This is only between us, alright? Our group is damaged enough, and the last thing I need is for Plankton to resent me because I made his love machine mad."

"I think it's past your bedtime, squirrel." Karen turned around and pointed the Echo Blade at Sandy's back. "Why don't you go back with that dear sponge of yours already, since you care about him so much."

"I do." Sandy began to walk again toward what was left of the destroyed stairs. "And I used to think you did too."

She left.

Soon, everything went back to normal, as if Sandy had never been there.

As if their conversation had never happened.

In a sense, Karen couldn't believe it had.

It was hard to accept that just a few minutes ago, Sandy had been her friend, and now they wouldn't be able to talk to each other as more than simple acquaintances. And that was in the best of scenarios.

For all she knew, Sandy wouldn't talk to her again.

"So what?" Karen said, returning to the small hole Plankton would eventually crawl out of. "That's her choice. If that's how she wants our friendship to end, so be it."

Then, she thought of SpongeBob.

That silly, innocent fry cook that had come to fully trust her in a few months.

The sponge that considered her not only Plankton's computer wife, but his friend.

The sponge that, in his wish to make her feel better, had caused all that chaos.

"His intentions were good, but he almost destroys all of Bikini Bottom." Karen said to herself. "My intentions are bad, but I might save everyone if I succeed. What do intentions matter, Sandy? In the end, it all comes to down to the results."

_What were my intentions when I accepted your invitation to join your gaming club, SpongeBob? Was it the honest desire of being your friend, or was it just an excuse to get away from Plankton?_

_I'm not sure myself._

"I've got it Karen!" Plankton's voice came from inside the hole. Judging by the sounds he made, he was climbing up. "I've got Larry's soul and some equipment you and those two idiots might find interesting. I did a pretty good job, didn't I?"

Karen welcomed Plankton with a smile.

_In any case, I'll make sure you believe the first option. Not because Sandy's threat scares me. I'll do it because she's right. You deserve better._

Karen picked up Plankton and bumped her screen against his head while he laughed, proud of having returned victorious from his mini odyssey.

_And until I can help you find the friend you lost, I'll be sure to take his place. Maybe then I'll be able to be honest with you, and if I'm lucky, I'll also be able to be honest with myself._

* * *

"Daddy?"

"I'm here, Pearl."

"Where are we?"

"I don't know, me girl. It's okay, your old man will keep those shadows away."

"I want to help you, but I can't move."

"Don't force yourself. Just try to rest."

"Are you okay, dad? You've been fighting those monsters for a while now..."

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

"That's good to hear. I just really wish I could do more."

"You're a little fighter, ain't ya? Of course you are, you're me child after all...Pearl?"

Pearl didn't answer. Mr. Krabs hugged his daughter's head. "What's wrong? Pearl?!"

She looked at him, and closed her eyes.

"No! Pearl! Pearl!"

He looked up to the gray sky.

"We need help. Someone, please! Help us!"

His screams echoed across the lagoon where no one could hear him.

"Pearl..."

From the distance, a synthetic lifeform with clear intentions watched the mourning father.


	13. The Merging

They upgraded their equipment in silence.

Plankton changed his old daggers for a new pair that glowed with red energy. He was also cladded with a tiny hood with holes for his antenna. Paired with his scarf, his set of clothes covered his face entirely, leaving only his eye visible in the shrouding darkness.

Sandy equipped herself with a gigantic gauntlet. She wielded it in her injured arm, claiming that it soothed her pain. She chose a set of silver armor as her protection. It gave her an appearance similar to a royal knight. Her head had to remain unprotected, thanks to her breathing helmet.

SpongeBob was the most modest. He chose a simple bubble maker as his weapon. When Sandy tried to convince him to discard Squidward's patched hat for a better armor, he refused with so much fervor that no one dared to contradict him.

Karen was the only one to remain the same.

She had no other choice.

"The main protagonist, when not playing alone, cannot use armor or any weapon other than the Echo Blade." SpongeBob explained to her after she and Plankton had failed three times to cover her head with a helmet with spikes. "Those are the rules."

"I'm not even going to get mad anymore." Plankton said as he threw the helmet away. "I knew this game would have more stupid rules under its sleeve."

"Guess I'll just have to manage." Karen said, looking at the blade. Her hand had already fully fused with it, and if she focused, she could see how the blade was starting to expand its influence above her wrist.

"Don't you worry babe, we'll keep you safe." Plankton said to her, hugging head. With a much harsher tone, he added, "Am I right, you pair of fools?"

"Whatever." Sandy didn't look at neither of them.

It took more effort than Karen imagined to pretend Sandy's attitude didn't hurt her.

"Of course." SpongeBob smiled at Karen. His eyes were still red, but he wasn't crying anymore.

Karen looked at him, and her broken screen returned half a smile.

"Thank you." She came closer to SpongeBob and put a hand on his head. "It really means a lot. I feel safer knowing you'll be there for me, Bob."

SpongeBob stared at her in confusion. Though it wasn't the first time Karen was kind to him, she had never been so explicit about it.

After a moment, SpongeBob laughed.

It was a sad, unenergetic version of the real thing.

"Hey!" Plankton exclaimed. He quickly made his way to her screen and hugged it. Soon, all Karen could see was her husband's desperate eye plastered against the crystal. "I'll be there too, you know!"

Karen sighed before reassuring him with a few tickles in his back.

It was easy to forget how jealous he was deep inside.

"If you are done, I say it's time for us to move out." Sandy said harshly. "Any second we waste here it's a second we could be spending looking for Patrick and Larry."

Her words were a dose of reality.

Karen immediately grabbed Plankton and looked at SpongeBob, scared that he would start to cry again.

However, he remained surprisingly calm.

 _He's trying so hard to e strong_. Karen thought as she put Plankton on top of her head. _I'll help you with that, little sponge._

"What do you think we should do now, SpongeBob?" Karen asked him.

SpongeBob gave a small jump. "Me?"

"Of course. You're our guide, remember?" Karen said softly.

SpongeBob breathed a sarcastic laugh. "Some guide I've turned out to be. Look at the mess I got us into. And now, Larry and Patrick and gone… No Karen, I think I shouldn't be playing that role anymore. I'm not good enough for it."

"Listen," Karen told him while Plankton glared at SpongeBob without her knowledge. "I know a lot has happened, and that nothing has really turned out the way we planned…"

 _In more ways than you can imagine._ Karen thought, feeling the weight of the blade in her arm.

"…but even if you feel like you're the worst guide ever, you're the only guide we've got. Plankton's cunning, Sandy's strength and my role as the wielder of the blade would mean nothing without your guidance, SpongeBob."

"I'm not that indispensable for the team. I'm aware of that." SpongeBob said. "You don't have to lie to me to make me feel better, Karen. I'm not a child."

"I know you're not." Karen said, though she would be lying if she said she didn't see SpongeBob that way most of the time, "and I'm not lying to you. I meant what I said, every single word. I'm sure the others think so too."

SpongeBob looked at her and then at Sandy, who nodded in agreement.

When he looked at Plankton, he was a little surprised when even he gave him a small, approving wink of his eye.

"Okay, I'll—" SpongeBob took a deep breath. His enthusiasm was low, but Karen was glad to see he still had some determination in him, "I'll try."

He closed his eyes and began to mumble nonsense only he could understand.

"Is he summoning a demon or something?" Plankton whispered to Karen.

"Honey, please be quiet." Karen rolled her eyes as she put a finger on his mouth.

SpongeBob walked around in circles. He was deeply lost in his own thoughts.

Suddenly, he stopped, his eyes wide opened and fixed on the Echo Blade.

"Careful, he's about to attack!" Plankton exclaimed, preparing to defend himself and Karen. When SpongeBob looked at him, he took a step back, tripped and began to fall. "Ahh!"

"Seriously, Sheldon…" Karen muttered as she caught Plankton with a soft swing of her hand.

"Of course!" SpongeBob snapped his fingers. "Plankton, you have half of Larry's soul with you, don't you?"

"That sounded horrible, but yes, I do." Plankton said as Karen held him with both hands. She loosened her grip on him so he could stand in one of her palms. Plankton then searched inside his pockets and took out an orb of glowing white energy with dark spots. "What did you expect me to do with this thing? Trade it for some credit?"

"Alright. Now…" SpongeBob grabbed Karen's blade and raised it closely to the orb. "…I need you two to fuse them together. A simple touch should be enough."

"What?!" Karen and Plankton exclaimed at the same time.

"If you can fuse the blade with Larry's soul, then maybe it could lead us to him. It was a hidden mechanic in the other games. If we're lucky, it's in this game too! I know it sounds dangerous. To be honest, it will be very risky." SpongeBob step aside and went next to Sandy. "But only you two can attempt it. You're the protagonists. I'm sorry, but this is the only idea I've got."

"Was killing us really the best thing you could come up with?" Plankton screamed, quickly taking the orb closer to himself.

"SpongeBob." Karen said with confidence, even if her internal circuits were sparkling with fear. "Are you sure this will work?"

"No." SpongeBob admitted.

Karen admired his honesty, even if she didn't find it comforting.

"But if it does," Karen continued, "will it really help us find Larry and Patrick?"

SpongeBob recoiled at the name of his lost friend.

With more confidence, he nodded. "Yes."

"Then," Karen looked at Plankton, "let's do it, Sheldon."

"But—" Plankton could barely move. It was only because of Karen than he forced his arms to extend the orb to Karen's blade. "Oh Neptune..."

Karen made the final movement. Larry's soul touched the Echo Blade and caused it to become covered with a burning white light.

Karen accidentally let go of Plankton and fell to the ground, twitching in pain as the blade fused with the orb and glowed like fire.

She tried to keep her torment as quiet as possible, but a few screams and grunts escaped her screen.

Meanwhile, the blade kept transforming.

"Karen!" Plankton exclaimed. He tried to go to her side, but SpongeBob stopped him.

"No! You'll interrupt the fusing process! It's too dangerous!"

Karen looked at them. She could no longer hear what they were saying.

The blade was damaging her systems almost to the point of frying them.

_I feel like my motherboard is melting…_

Plankton escaped SpongeBob's grasp and got ready to attack him. Only Sandy stood between them.

Karen noticed how Sandy looked at her from the corner of her eye.

It was filled with genuine concern.

 _I'll rip my arm off._ Karen thought, grabbing her shoulder with her other hand, _If that makes the pain stop, I will._

She was about to succumb to that idea when the pain stopped as abruptly as it had started.

_Warning! Systems overheating. Initiating cooling protocol._

Karen thought she would shutdown again, but she just laid still on her back as her systems slowly went back to normal.

"Karen!" Plankton was soon by her side. "Oh honey, your screen's smoking! Don't worry, I'll take a look. Everything will be alright."

"Karen!" SpongeBob appeared behind Plankton. "Are you—"

"Step back, you porous imbecile!" Plankton wielded his daggers and pointed them at SpongeBob. "Your stupid idea almost destroyed my wife!"

"She did what she had to, Plankton." Sandy said. There was something resembling admiration and respect in her voice.

"I'm not talking to you, squirrel! I knew we couldn't trust you! And now, look at what you've done! I swear, if something happens to Karen, I'll destroy both of you. Slowly and—"

_Cooling protocol completed._

"Sheldon." Karen grabbed him. SpongeBob and Sandy quickly helped her get back on her wheels. "It's alright, I'm fine."

"Karen, you're awake!" Plankton said with great relief. "Are you sure you're alright? You were about to catch fire! You cannot go on, not without first taking some time to rest."

"We have no time for that. There's nothing to be worried about, I've already fixed the damage." Karen felt her body at the edge of malfunctioning, but she didn't dare to show to Plankton and her friends how injured she really was.

It wasn't only not to worry them.

Her pride would receive a low blow if she allowed herself to show weakness in front of Sandy and SpongeBob.

She also didn't want Plankton to coddle her for the rest of their journey.

Karen loved his more tender and attentive side, but she didn't want it to become a distraction for neither of them.

Besides, it wasn't the first time she had been damaged to that extreme, and in those occasions, she had been able to keep going without complaints. This needn't be the exception.

It was an aspect of herself that filled her with more pride than any organic could understand.

"The blade…" she said, raising the Echo Blade toward SpongeBob. "…it has changed."

The sword, completely green before, had now white, dancing stripes all over it. It had also become sharper and larger.

"It really worked!" SpongeBob said. His voice began to resemble his usual happy-go-lucky tone.

"Now what?" Sandy asked.

"And before you say anything, if your next idea involves getting someone almost killed, you can be damn sure that neither me nor Karen will play a part in it, kid." Plankton scoffed as he went back to his usual spot on Karen's head.

"Don't worry, that was the worst part. Karen, I'm sorry if that was more than you signed up for…"

"That's what Plankton said to me after our first week of marriage."

"Karen!"

"…but I swear the next part is easy." SpongeBob continued. "All you have to do is raise the blade directly against the sunlight and—"

"In that case, let's get out of these ruins before anything else. We'll get no sunlight here." Sandy suggested. She grabbed Karen by the arm to help her walk, but Karen rejected her help and went to the lagoon's shore on her own.

"You're not well, Karen." Plankton said to her out of nowhere.

SpongeBob and Sandy were following closely behind them.

"I'm fine, Sheldon."

"You may fool those idiots, but not me. I can feel it in the way you move, and even hear it in your voice."

"That's a bit creepy."

"I am a bit creepy." Plankton laughed. "How bad is your damage, sweetie?"

Karen doubted for a moment.

"It's bad, but nothing that will handicap me."

"I really should take a look at it."

"What good would that do? You cannot fix me without the proper equipment, and Sandy and SpongeBob will only get worried. Please Sheldon, just let it be. Believe me, it's for the best."

Plankton grunted.

"Okay." He finally accepted. "But if it gets worse, tell me."

"Is that an order, captain?"

"Hey, you can't blame a man for being worried about his wife."

"You know, you're quite a sweet husband when you're not obsessing over that stupid secret—"

Karen kept quiet when she noticed Sandy and SpongeBob were too close. She turned around and waited for SpongeBob to give her more instructions about what she was supposed to do.

"So…I only have to raise my arm?" Karen said casually.

Her arm didn't react. It was as if it was made of stone.

"Yes. Once you do it, it will lead us to…Karen?" SpongeBob went to her side and put a hand on her back. "Is everything okay?"

_Dammit! Put yourself together Karen!_

"Yes. I'm just trying to find the correct angle. Let me just finish these calculations and…"

"Here, this will help."

Karen felt the cold, comforting relief of SpongeBob's healing magic going through her body. Her systems remained damaged to a great extent, but the pain and fatigue were gone.

"That felt good…" Plankton said, lying down on Karen's head as if he was about to take a nap. "What was that?! And get your hands off my wife, you fry cook!"

"Just a bit of healing magic." SpongeBob smiled at them. "It's the least I can do after what I made you go through back there…"

Then, he took Karen's arm fused with the Echo Blade and helped her raise it high.

 _This blade really should have been yours, SpongeBob. I'm sorry I stole it from you._ Karen thought as the sunlight touched the blade, causing numerous rays of light to emerge from it, all pointing into different directions.

SpongeBob helped her move it around until the rays joined together and pointed at one single location into the distance.

"The sea caves…" Sandy whispered, recognizing the only place the light could be pointing to.

"That's where we must go! That's where Larry and Patrick are!" SpongeBob screamed in happiness. He hugged Karen before grabbing hers and Sandy's healthy hands before dragging them both together with him along the shore.

Karen made sure to keep the blade pointing high so the light would continue to guide them.

"Hold on tight, Sheldon!"

"I feel like I'm on a roller coaster! Tell SpongeBob to slow down!"

 _I would, but he's finally hopeful again._ Karen thought, closing her fingers around SpongeBob's hand. _And I am too._

None of them noticed the tiny bubble forming on the Lagoon's surface.

It floated around for a second, and popped without making a sound.

* * *

"Dad! No, this can't be happening! Why? Why did you protect me?" Pearl held his moribund father in her arms. She had lost consciousness, only to awaken and find her father mortally wounded by the shadows. "Why is this happening?"

"User Pearl."

Pearl looked around for the owner of the voice, but she was alone in the caves.

"Who are you?" she screamed, crying tears of both anger and sadness. "Leave us alone!"

She was ready to protect herself and her father at any cost.

"Are you angry, user Pearl? Do you hate those who did this to your father?"

"Shut up!"

"Do you want to hurt them as much as they hurt him?"

Pearl's heart found comfort in the offer.

"All I want…" she said as her giants tears soaked the rocky floor, "….is my father. I want him back; I want to go home."

"I see."

Pearl felt a change in her heart and soul, as if her emotions had been freed from her rational shackles.

It felt good, soothing, almost like a hug.

"That could be arranged." The voice whispered in her ear. "If you want that to happen, you must first annihilate the ones responsible for all this."

"The ones responsible?" Pearl's body started to transform into a shape that better resembled the emotions roaming free inside her. She looked at her father. "Yes. I'd like that."

"Acknowledged." The voice made beeping sound. "Your health is really low. You don't want to fight them in this state, do you?"

"Do I?" Pearl smiled. Her teeth square teeth were now sharp. "No, I don't. They must pay."

"Then you'll need energy. Nutrients." The voice said from below her. Pearl followed it and saw her father again. He was now an empty shell. "He would have wanted this, don't you agree?"

Pearl didn't answer.

A wild beast has no need for words.


	14. The Beast

The horrid stench made Patrick's nose tingle.

It was his first conscious feeling after waking up. He tried to move, but Larry's normal claw had him held firmly against his side.

"SpongeBob?" he asked as he looked around, unsure if he was awake or if he was still dwelling inside a dream. Sometimes it was difficult to discern between the two, but in either scenario, the sight of his best friend always managed to calm him down. "Hey Larry, do you know where SpongeBob is? Larry?"

The lobster growled slammed Patrick on the ground. Patrick's head hit the gooey, sticky floor with so much force that he almost passed out.

When he opened his eyes, he screamed.

Larry had become a monster beyond recognition.

Just looking at his face made Patrick feel as if his own sanity began to dwindle.

"No! Stay back!" Patrick closed his eyes and struggled to break free. The memories of what had happened returned to him. They only served to make his panic evolve into hysteria. "SpongeBob! SpongeBob!"

"Pat—" Larry's guttural voice was so deep that it was hard to understand him. He let go of Patrick, growling and struggling against himself as he destroyed everything in his path. "Get…out. Get…away…from—"

Patrick had started to run away long before he heard Larry's plea.

Just a few seconds later, he could hear Larry's steps and growls behind him.

They grew closer and louder each time.

Patrick kept running, not daring to look back. The gooey floor of that lugubrious place felt no different than the sand in the shore.

According to what little his simple, scared mind could tell him, the new place where Larry had dragged him was some kind of palace. A castle?

Patrick didn't care.

For him, it felt like an empty, circular maze without an end or an exit.

"Help me! Please! Sandy, Plankton, Karen!" the names of his friends echoed across the giant, empty rooms. "SpongeBob!"

No one could hear his cries.

_I'm alone._

The thought came to Patrick just as he slipped and fell down a large staircase. Larry lunged himself at Patrick before they touched the ground.

He kept Patrick pinned down under his crushing weight.

"Larry?" Patrick's voice was so low he couldn't hear it himself.

This time, Larry answered only with a ferocious snarl.

_This is it for me._

It was weird how calmly the realization formed inside his mind. Too tired and defeated to try to escape anymore, Patrick simply waited for everything to end.

He closed his eyes and thought his friends, especially SpongeBob, one last time.

"Who?!" Larry cried before he was taken off of Patrick by a shot of transparent slime that hit him directly in the face.

He got stuck to the floor, struggling to brush away the slime with both his claws.

Patrick remained lying down. A part of him had become so convinced that his life had come to an end, that the unexpected second chance felt out of place.

_Run!_ His mind ordered him, and Patrick obeyed its command without a second thought.

He got up and prepared to escape, but the path before him wasn't clear anymore.

There was someone else there.

The one that had saved him.

Patrick smiled. He recognized him immediately, even when he was as deformed and changed as Larry.

"Gary." Patrick muttered, running toward the giant snail with his arms wide opened.

Patrick didn't stop to think if the animal was friendly, or if his angered roars meant he saw him as an enemy.

Or as prey.

He also didn't bother to think if Larry had already freed himself from the snail's slime and was coming back for him.

None of it mattered for Patrick.

In his mind, there was only place for one thought.

_I'm not alone._ He pressed his body against Gary's pink shell. It was a cold, comforting touch. _Not anymore._

* * *

Karen didn't know for how long she had been holding the Echo Blade up high against the sunlight, but it had been enough time for Plankton to fall asleep on top of her head.

"The formula is mine…" he said in between dreams.

"That should be enough, Karen." SpongeBob told her. "It's not going to absorb more light than it already has."

Karen sighed in relief as she lowered her arm. It made a soft squeak that woke Plankton up. "Do you think it will be enough to guide us through the end of the sea caves, SpongeBob?"

"Yes."

"Let's go then." Karen nodded in agreement. She tried to give SpongeBob a friendly pat in the head, but Plankton faked a coughing fit.

"You're such a jealous fool." Karen rubbed Plankton's head with a finger while SpongeBob happily ran off to tell Sandy they were ready to move out again.

"And you're getting a bit too friendly with that sponge." Plankton replied with a childish pout.

"Wow, I'd never thought I'd see the day when Sheldon J. Plankton gets jealous of SpongeBob SquarePants." Karen laughed as she came closer to entrance of the Sea Caves, where SpongeBob and Sandy were waiting for them. "This is a day I'll remember all my life, though I don't know if I'll do so with amusement or shame."

"How about a mix of them?" Plankton suggested, a bit offended.

"Very well, I'll remember it with second-hand embarrassment of the cute kind."

"Really clever, Karen." Plankton played along one last time before changing his tone. Karen could hear true concern in his voice. "But seriously, you're not going to dump me for that fry cook, are you? I mean, I'm green, evil and genius, and he's just…yellow, soft and squeaky, like a rubber duck!"

"Relax Sheldon. I'm still more of a copepods kind of woman." It shocked Karen how serious Plankton was about the matter. "I'm just being nice to him. He's been through a lot."

"We all have."

"I know, but out of all of us, SpongeBob has the softest heart. Let's just try to be kind to him, okay? At least until we find Patrick and Larry."

"That is," Plankton whispered, "if we find them."

Karen thought so too.

While it was possible to find the two missing members of their team alive and well, she knew it was far more probable not to find them at all.

"Don't tell him that." Karen told Plankton firmly, knowing how capable he was of doing so in a moment of boredom. "Please, Sheldon."

"I won't." Plankton agreed readily. "But I'll do it for you, not for him."

Karen didn't answer. She wondered for how long he would keep his promise.

_We have to find Patrick now. Before something else happens and SpongeBob breaks._ Karen thought as she ventured inside the sea caves with SpongeBob by her side and Sandy following them in silence. _Don't worry, you'll see him again soon, SpongeBob. I'll make sure of that._

Entering the caves felt as if the sun had been wiped out of existence. If it wasn't for the stored light expelled by the Echo Blade, none of them would have been able to see past beyond their noses. Karen held the blade high as if it was a torch.

They kept walking until the sand came to an end and gave place to a large deposit of water.

"Careful!" SpongeBob exclaimed. He put himself in front of the group and forced them to stop. "Don't touch it! It will harm us and deplete our health until it kills us."

"It's just some stupid lagoon water, not boiling lava." Plankton said, rolling his eye.

"Trust me, you don't want to touch the water, Plankton." SpongeBob told him, kicking a small pebble into it. The pebble became surround by effervescent bubbles and disappeared without leaving a trace. "None of us would last three seconds if we did."

"Curses." Plankton said under his breath. "I really hate this stupid game!"

"How do we cross it, then?" asked Karen, pointing the blade's light into the distance. There was only water as far as she could see.

"With magic." SpongeBob said with a wink of his eye, playing with his newly-acquired bubble maker with his fingers. He held it before him with both his hands and blew a large bubble he then shaped in the form of a rowing boat. "Okay guys, all aboard!"

"It won't burst halfway through, will it?" asked an sceptic Plankton, "and really? A rowing boat? Wouldn't a motorized boat have been a more practical idea?"

SpongeBob opened his mouth, but after a moment of thought, he put his hand under his chin. "Huh, actually, that's a better idea."

"His brain is as full of holes as his face."

"Sheldon."

"Sorry Karen, but he's just such an idiot…"

"Don't worry, I can make another one!" SpongeBob prepared to blow another bubble, but Sandy stopped him.

"The rowing boat will do. We cannot waste more time; neither your magic nor the blade's light are eternal. Besides, you spend a bit of your energy with every spell you cast, SpongeBob. Don't use your magic lightly."

SpongeBob slowly put his bubble maker back on his pocket. "You're right, Sandy. In that case, let's keep moving. And don't you worry Plankton, I'll row."

They got into the bubble boat carefully. Karen could hear Plankton's sighs of fear as she sat down on the boat's front end. She calmed him down with a soft pat of her palm.

SpongeBob was next, and finally Sandy.

"The water might be lethal." SpongeBob said as he started rowing, setting the boat on a steady, slow march. He followed the direction the blade's light pointed at. "But when the light touches it, it looks so beautiful, like the surface of a smooth, giant sapphire."

"This isn't the time for romantic observations, kid!" Plankton exclaimed at him. "Though I must admit…that its blue color is pleasing to my eye, but not as pleasing as my Karen."

"Oh Neptune." Sandy grunted from the back end of the boat. "If you two keep this up, I swear I'll throw myself overboard."

"Sandy, no!"

"Relax SpongeBob, it was a joke." Sandy laughed. "But seriously, cut it out. Instead of commenting on the beauty water, why don't we keep quiet and try to focus on the task at hand? Like what exactly could be waiting for us at the end of this caves?"

"Patrick and Larry, of course." Karen answered condescendingly. "What else could it be?"

"An enemy."

SpongeBob stopped rowing for a second before reassuming it with so much clumsiness that he almost splashed water on Plankton. After an angry and well-deserved berating, SpongeBob stared at Sandy.

"You mean Larry, don't you?"

Sandy said nothing at first. Karen felt uncomfortable and decided to stay out of the conversation.

"He was acting really strange, and who else could have taken Patrick away and killed Old Man Jenkins if not him?"

"I know." SpongeBob admitted. "But even if he did, we must try to talk to him first. I want to hear his version of the story before we—"

"How merciful you are." Plankton sneered. "I hope your kind heart won't shatter when are forced to fight and destroy him. We're not saving Patrick otherwise, SpongeBob"

"That's enough, Sheldon." Karen ordered.

"He needs to know these things, Karen. He won't survive to the end of the game if he doesn't." Plankton replied, completely uncaring of the stress he caused in SpongeBob. "Look kid, in the end, you'll have to make a choice. Either you can try to play the deluded pacifist and get yourself killed, or you can see reality as it is, grow a backbone and survive. Think about it."

The boat trembled as SpongeBob's grasp on the rows tightened. He glared at Plankton, his blue eyes shining as brightly as the water. "Let's just keep going, okay?"

None of them spoke for the next minutes.

Their travel across the water was as long as it was tedious. The only true sense of urgency came from the fact that SpongeBob would eventually run out of magic energy, as it would happen too with the light stored inside the Echo Blade, but those were little more than a distant consequences with no repercussion in their present situation.

All they could do was to keep rowing where the light guided them.

"Look." SpongeBob said. Sandy and Plankton were starting to doze off, and only Karen had remained awake together with SpongeBob. "The road…"

"It's divided." Karen pointed the light toward the first of the three possible entrances they could choose to enter.

The first was an empty, peaceful cave no different than the current one.

The second one was darker and rougher, with stalagmites and stalactites infesting almost its very corner. Rowing through it would be a challenge.

The last one was where the water's flow began to quicken. Judging by the splashing and thunderous sounds that came from it, Karen knew that choosing to venture inside it would be equal to a death sentence.

"Which way do you think we should go?" SpongeBob asked his friends. "The first one seems calm, but I'm not sure it's the right choice. It seems to good to be true."

"It was about damn time you said something intelligent." Plankton added. "Then again, the second and the third one may still be traps. The game could be toying with us and our expectations, trying to make us think that the obvious choice is the wrong choice. This a difficult game, and if the answer was so simple, there wouldn't be any challenge in it, would it?"

"However, choosing the most difficult path with the expectation of it being the correct one is an overused idea in itself." Sandy said. "Maybe the game is expecting us to think it's the one we should choose, but what if it subverted the probabilities, and made the easy path the one we are supposed to follow instead?"

"Exactly. The obvious and wrong option becomes subverted, and as a result, it becomes the right choice in the end." Plankton agreed.

"Then again, what if…" Sandy proceeded.

It didn't take long for her and Plankton to become immersed in an convoluted conversation.

"Neptune, not even I overthink stuff this much, and I'm a computer." Karen said as she and SpongeBob listened to their friends' endless explanations and theories.

"I know how you feel. Usually, I just go with the simpler option." SpongeBob took advantage of the moment to rest and stretch his arms.

"The simpler option is usually the correct one. If our lives weren't on the line, I'd probably just go along with whatever you chose." Karen copied him and lowered a little her arm fused with he blade. "How are you feeling, SpongeBob? Is your magic making you tired?"

"No, not at all." SpongeBob smiled. "I'm not sure why, but I feel strangely energetic and powerful. I guess that little rest we had at the tavern did wonders for all of us. Don't worry Karen, I'm not running out of magic energy any time soon."

"I'm glad to hear that." Karen nodded. "I hope I could say the same about the light inside the blade. It's still warm, but not as much as before."

"Let's hope our two geniuses reach a conclusion soon." SpongeBob said in a whisper. "Though I think their egos may get the best of them. I guess I just have to deal with the burden of not being as smart as all of you, but that doesn't bother me. After all, we are all on the same team, aren't we?"

"Of course we are." Karen wasn't sure if SpongeBob was trying to imply something or if he was being his usual, honest self, but the fact that she doubted it in the first place convinced her something was amiss.

_You're not as stupid as you act, and you're definitely not as stupid as we think, SpongeBob._ Karen raised the blade again and began to shine the light on every wall, pretending to search for clues. _I'm sure you already know how selfish mine and Plankton's true objectives are, don't you? I know you do, but I don't want to ask you. I already know the answer, but I don't want to hear you saying it. It would be too shameful, and shame is distracting. We cannot afford it, not now._

Karen stopped moving, her half-sight looking at the walls without really watching them. At first, the strange red figure on the wall passed unnoticed for her, but as she drifted away from her thoughts, Karen realized how much the drawing outstood from the cave's total grayness.

"What in Neptune's name…" she muttered as she moved the blade's light along the wall, only to discover the drawing looming over the third entrance was colossal, almost as big as the wall itself. "Guys, look!"

"Karen, can't you see I'm about to win this debate?" Plankton told her tiredly. "I'm sure that whatever you found, it can wait a couple of…what the hell is that thing?! It's hideous!"

Plankton covered his eye with both his hands.

Sandy felt a twitch in her gut. She and SpongeBob shuddered as they stared at the grotesque drawing.

"Is that…" SpongeBob swallowed. He looked closer to the red figure drawn on the wall. "Mr. Krabs?"

As he pronounced the name, the drawing moved and stared back at them.

Not even Karen could avoid screaming.

Even if it was only a rustic, simplistic representation of him, the drawing of Mr. Krabs felt no less alive and real then the original. He laughed and retreated inside the third cave as if it had absorbed him.

Soon, only the echo of his laughter remained.

"Is it—is it gone?" Plankton asked, trembling. "Karen?"

"It's gone, dear. You can open your eye again." Karen pointed the light at the third cave. The other two no longer mattered. "Quickly, let's go after him."

No more debates or theories were necessary. She and the rest knew, even if they didn't understand, what path they had to choose.

Time, so boring and dull before, had become urgent and precious again.

"Wait." Plankton said anxiously.

"Mr. Krabs…" SpongeBob lamented as he slowly but surely rowed the boat toward the third cave. He created a magic cover around the boat.

"Wait!" Plankton cried.

"But why is he here? I thought we had left him behind in that maze at the start of the game." Sandy paused her restless mind. The boat was a few meters away from entering the wild waters of the third cave. "I guess we'll find the answers soon enough."

"You can't be serious! We haven't even reached a conclusion yet!" Plankton was now hysterical. The sight of the aggressive waters that were about to swallow the boat scared him as much as Krabs's grotesque figure. "No!"

"Sheldon!" Karen grabbed him and held him tightly in her hand. "It's alright, we are going to be fine. Trust me."

The last thing Karen saw before the boat was left at the mercy of the rapid flow was Plankton's red eye looking directly at her.

The cave swallowed them quickly and without a warning. Their screams were only muffled but the sound of the boat crashing endlessly against the walls and water's surface.

Karen held the blade up high and put Plankton closer to her chest. The last thing she wanted was to hurt him or herself with the weapon.

They moved so quickly across the rocky, uneven tunnel that not even the light allowed them to see clearly their surroundings.

"Everybody hold on!" SpongeBob screamed as they boat made a violent turn that threw the boat into a wall so violently that the cover he had created for the boat popped and faded.

It was by sheer luck the boat didn't catch water and sank, but that didn't save them from a light shower of tiny drops raining upon them.

More than water, they felt like little, blazing embers.

Still with the burning pain present on his skin, SpongeBob managed to create a cover around the boat again.

_Patrick._

SpongeBob felt how the rowdy sensation of the water under the boat disappeared. Suddenly, they weren't being dragged across the cave anymore.

They were falling.

_I'll save you. No matter what._

The crash made the bubble boat exploded. It managed to damp most the impact. SpongeBob rolled around the floor until he came to an abrupt stop.

He could hear the metallic sounds of Sandy's armor and Karen's body as they did the same. The kept going for a few moments before they stopped too.

"Patrick?" SpongeBob said without thinking. The memory of his best friend helped him focus. He got back on his feet and went to check on the others.

Sandy was perfectly fine. Her armor had protected her against the water and the fall. She had only one small scratch on her right ear.

"Thank goodness." SpongeBob sighed with a short-lived relief. "Karen!"

SpongeBob was scared to check on her. He feared the fall had managed to break her screen for good.

And Plankton…

"Karen, are you okay?" SpongeBob found her lying on her back. Plankton was still in her hand, just as confused and stunned as his wife.

"I used to like roller coasters and water slides." Karen slowly got up. She and the blade were unscratched. "Well, not anymore."

"Now everyone here knows what it feels like to be flushed down the toilet!" Plankton said, rapidly shaking his head. "Granted, that little ride across the tunel of horrors was ten times worse, but hopefully you'll show more empathy next time Krabs…"

"Mr. Krabs!" SpongeBob tried to look around, but everything was pitch black.

He needn't ask Karen anything. She simply raised the blade once again and casted the various rays of light across the room.

They discovered they were in a round, enermous platform surrounded by water in what seemed to be the deepest part of the cave.

On the walls around them, there were more drawings. Among them, there was the previous incarnation of Mr. Krabs that had guided them there. He was no longer alive, and existed only as a figure plastered on the wall.

"What is this?" SpongeBob asked, feeling a lump in his throat as he looked at the various representations of Mr. Krab's life painted on the walls.

His childhood.

The war.

The opening of the Krusty Krab.

The birth of…

"Pearl." Sandy announced. She pointed to a drawing that sowed Mr. Krabs and Peal holding hands together. That happy set of drawings grew more sinister the more it advanced, only to finish with a crude, almost indistinguishable representation of a gray figure engulfing a red one.

"Is she…" Embarrassed by his previous display of fear, Plankton forced himself to act brave, even when all his instincts ordered him to look away, "…devouring him?"

"I—" Karen decided that image would be too much for SpongeBob. She went to him with him intention of covering his eyes, but her plan was foiled by the unexpected and deafening vibration of a whale's cry.

"It's a monster!" Plankton screamed.

The creature swan around the platform a couple of times before jumping on it. The cave shook under her weight, causing a few boulders to shower down.

The creature was thrice as big as Squidward, even more. Her face was concealed by darkness, so far up high than not even the light could reach it.

"No, it's—" SpongeBob didn't need to see her face to recognize hear underneath her transformation. "Pearl!"

"Daddy! Where are you?!" the scream came like a shockwave and knocked them down to the floor. It nullified all their senses of hearing, replacing them with a high-pitched buzz.

**_Warning! Damage detected_ **

**_Initiating repairs…_ **

Karen didn't wait for her hearing to come back to her. She ran away from Pearl before she crashed her with one of her colossal fins.

A moment later, a new message appeared before her. One that only she and Plankton could read.

**_Information:_ ** _Defeat Pearl, the Grieving Beast!_ _Hurry, before the Echo Blade's light fades!_

**_Special Conditions:_ ** _Destroy her without receiving damage during the battle to obtain the Secret Report!  
_

 


	15. The Darkening

Karen barely had time to read the message before it disappeared. One sentence resonated in her mind.

**_Destroy her without receiving damage._ **

Her fear increased, and not only because of the colossal monster standing before her.

There was no room for error.

That was no less stressing and mortifying than knowing hers and his friends' lives were again hanging from a thread.

"Good Neptune, she's enormous!" Sandy exclaimed. Her voice, always firm and brave, was tainted by panic.

"What have they done to Pearl?!" SpongeBob said with palpitating sadness.

"What really matters now is what she can do to us! We all need to focus! We haven't come this far to let it end like this!" Plankton showed a bravery Karen didn't expect of him. If anything, she had been sure he would be the most frightened by the monstrous whale.

Perhaps it was only a bravado, maybe it was just a flickering moment of courage, but in either case, it was enough to snap Sandy and Karen away from their fears.

Pearl roared again. The deafening shockwave almost hit them, but SpongeBob managed to deflect it with a magic barrier just in time.

Angered by their defiance, Pearl lunged her two fins at them. They hit the barrier with a strength that made the whole cave shake.

SpongeBob grunted and closed his eyes. Knowing he wouldn't be able to hold on much longer, Karen quickly analyzed the situation to come up with a strategy.

_Her head is hidden by darkness and protected by her height. If she has a weak point, it must be it. But how can we bring her down so we can attack it?_

Karen inspected Pearl's body as her giant fins hit the bubble again. Sandy rushed next to SpongeBob to help him hold on. Meanwhile, Plankton screamed harsh words of encouragement at them.

_Her legs._ Karen thought as she joined Sandy and SpongeBob. She used the Echo Blade to increase the barrier's resistance. _They are so feeble in comparison with the rest of her body. Maybe if we…_

"Listen to me! SpongeBob, when I tell you, dispel the barrier and run to a safe place! Sheldon, you go with him!" Karen said just as Pearl growled and prepared her next attack. "Sandy, you'll come with me. Together, we'll attack Pearl's legs until she falls to her knees! We should be able to attack her head then, and when that happens, we'll charge at her with our most powerful attacks! We'll repeat this strategy until we defeat her. If we are careful, we should be able to end this battle without any of us getting hurt!"

Sandy nodded, not daring to question Karen.

SpongeBob and Plankton on the other hand…

"I'm not going to run away and leave you two fight by yourselves!" SpongeBob exclaimed. This time, he didn't complain or show any signs of weakness when Pearl fin's crashed against his now fragile bubble barrier. "I'll attack too!"

"No, you won't!" Plankton's voice was louder than Pearl's grief-stricken cries. "You'll come with Karen and me, SpongeBob. You'll use your magic to make sure nothing happens to her, you hear me? If she gets hurt, we won't be able to get the secret report, so no matter what happens or what you do, you must keep Karen safe!"

"What?" SpongeBob looked at Karen with his mouth agape. "Is that the special condition?"

Sandy imitated him.

Karen nodded in silence. She had wished to keep it a secret in order not to stress her friends, but it had been foolish of her to expect Plankton to do the same.

He had always believed that nothing brought the best out of people like extreme stress, despair and the risk of death.

Karen may agree with the practicality of his mindset, but that didn't mean she liked it. In any case, what was done was done. SpongeBob and Sandy would have to deal with that piece of information and continue fighting without it distracting them, and Karen could only hope they would be able to do so.

She didn't worry about Sandy, but SpongeBob was a different case.

"I understand." SpongeBob said, suddenly getting on Karen's back. She held on to her by tangling his legs around her lower body and hugging her neck with his arms. "I won't let anything happen to you, Karen. I promise!"

Karen touched one of his hands. She could almost feel Plankton's burning jealousy branding a mark on top of her head, but luckily, he kept quiet.

There were more important things to deal with than silly misunderstandings.

"Okay, at the count of three, I'll jump to the left and you three jump to the right." Sandy said, getting her gauntlet ready for action.

"Got it." Karen watched how Pearl's fins were rapidly coming down toward them. "Three, two, one…"

"NOW!" they all screamed at the same time. The barrier that had kept them safe vanished, and Pearl hit the ground instead.

Her fins hit the rocky soil with so much force that they became stuck between the cracks of the dry, razor-edged ground. She cried again, this time without creating a shockwave. Her fins began to bleed and became filled with growing cuts and bruises the more she tried to free them.

Her pain increased at the relentless attacks of Karen and the others.

Karen cut Pearl's legs with dozens of slashes from the Echo Blade. Plankton stabbed her over and over with his mini daggers, sometimes using them to split her skin opened with thin, long, vertical cuts.

Sandy punched her with bone-crushing blows that echoed across the cave. SpongeBob did his part at first, and casted bubbles covered with spikes, but Plankton forced him to stop.

"No, idiot! You must save your magic to protect Karen when it's necessary! Leave the offensive work to us. You're not even that good at it anyway."

"Do you always have to be so rude?" SpongeBob frowned.

"No, but it feels damn good." Plankton laughed, performing a rather complex attack that, judging from the grunt that came from Pearl, caused a significant amount of damage.

He glanced at Karen, his eye filled with pride. She knew he had done it with the sole purpose of impressing her.

And it had worked.

Karen rewarded him with a smile. Plankton pretended to ignore her, as if her approval had never been his goal.

Karen could only smile at his pride.

"It's working!" Sandy screamed with satisfaction. Just as Pearl had freed her fins and tried to slam Karen and the rest with them, she fell to her knees, her legs now too injured to continue to hold her colossal weight.

Her fall was like another attack in itself. Sandy barely had time to get out of the way before one of Pearl's knees crushed her.

Karen managed to dodge it too, but if it hadn't been by SpongeBob's magical protection, the debris and waves of dust that Pearl's knees sent flying all around the cave would have hit her and damage her.

It was then she realized how right Plankton had been about—

"Sheldon!" Karen felt a sudden emptiness in her body. She touched the top of her head, and oil froze in her circuits when she didn't find him there. "Sheldon!"

"I'm here!" Karen looked down, and almost suffered a shutdown when she saw him standing in her lower platform. "I'm alright, don't worry about me! Pearl's down, let's get her before she recovers!"

Karen reached her hand toward him, but stopped before she could touch him. Plankton was safe, that was all that mattered. There would time for words of relief and gestures of comfort later, for now, defeating Pearl was their only objective.

"Hold on, you two!" Karen told them. She felt Plankton surrounding her lower body firmly with an arm, while SpongeBob did the same around her neck. "Okay, let's get this over with!"

The dust was slowing starting to dissipate. Karen raised the Echo Blade high to cast the light so Sandy could find her way to Pearl too.

The light also revealed Pearl's gigantic head and face. It was a sight that Karen soon wished would have remained hidden in the dark.

"Neptune…" SpongeBob whispered with terror. Karen could feel his and Plankton's quickening heartbeats.

If she had a heart, Karen didn't doubt it would be racing just as fast as theirs.

Pearl's face was almost as big as her body. It was covered with barnacles, to the point her gray, smooth skin was impossible to see. Her eyes were as blue as the cave's water, and as round and wide as a tractor's wheel.

The worst part of her change was her mouth. It was enlarged to the point it almost reached the cave's walls, and both the top and bottom jaw were filled with sharp, white teeth covered with drool.

"Daddy…" One of Pearl's eye became fixed on Karen. It shed a single tear before her grief transformed into fury. "You! You caused all of this! You're the reason my daddy is…"

Karen couldn't move. She had believed that Pearl had been reduced to nothing more than a rampaging monster.

To know there was still thought and feelings inside her was a discovery almost too heavy to bear.

"Karen, watch out!" Sandy tackled Karen. Pearl's jaws opened a tear in Sandy's armor, leaving a mark of teeth were metal had once been.

"Sandy!" SpongeBob cried, looking at the injured squirrel as Karen held her with her arms.

Sensing SpongeBob's distress, Sandy stood on her own feet again. Small drops of blood began to drip from her injury, but she dismissed them as mere scratches.

SpongeBob tried to use his magic to heal her, but Pearl attacked again. They escaped being swallowed in one gulp only by miracle.

"Now, before she attacks again!" Karen ordered. She hushed her guilt and tricked herself into believing that the beast before her had no traces of the real Pearl inside it anymore.

It was the only way she found the strength necessary to attack her mercilessly with the Echo Blade.

"Daddy!" Pearl's eye changed again. It became too sentient, too full of emotion for Karen to ignore it.

"Stop don't look at me like that! Just…STOP!" Karen jumped and stabbed Pearl in the eye. She pressed until the whole blade skidded in.

"I'm sorry, Pearl." SpongeBob said, crying as he created a magical barrier to protect Karen for another of Pearl's shockwaves. "I'm truly sorry."

Karen allowed SpongeBob to cry in her behalf and climbed her way with the sword to the top of Pearl's head.

The beast growled in anger and tried to shake Karen off, but Sandy gave her a massive punch with her gauntlet directly in the lower jaw.

A few of Pearl's teeth came out flying, and by the sound that accompanied them, the jaw had been dislocated from its joint.

Stunted by the unexpected and powerful attack, Pearl remained still for a moment. It was enough time for Karen to deliver the finishing blow by stabbing Pearl right in the center of her head.

Pearl gave out a muffled, pathetic growl as she covered his good and missing eye with her fins. "Daddy, where are you? I…just…want…to—"

Her head collapsed to the floor, slowly and gracefully, like a fallen idol collapsing at the hands of vandals ignorant of its true value.

The recoil of the crash made Karen lose her balance. She fell from Pearl's head, and had a rough, rolling landing. Only SpongeBob's magic saved her form harm.

The little sponge kept crying in silence, oblivious or uncaring of their victory.

"Yes, that's it!" Plankton celebrated without thinking twice of the beast they had slaughtered. "You did it, Karen!"

He soon was hugging and kissing her screen.

"Yeah." Karen tried to feel victorious, or at least relieved that the battle had come to an end, but all she felt was numb emptiness.

While SpongeBob continued to shed tears on the back of her head and Plankton kissed her screen, Karen lifted the blade and used the light to search for Sandy.

She found her sitting and catching her breath, resting her injured back against a stalagmite.

Karen offered her a hand.

Sandy looked at her.

For a moment, Karen thought they would make amends for their previous argument, but just when it seemed Sandy would accept her help, SpongeBob whimpered.

"Pearl…"

Sandy got up by herself and checked on SpongeBob with the same urgency as if it was him who was seriously injured and not her. She helped him come down from Karen's back, and put a reassuring hand on his shoulders as he tried to come to terms with Pearl's demise.

"Idiot boy." Plankton laughed. He had returned to his usual spot on top of Karen's head. "Does he not understand that everyone we kill now will come back unharmed as soon as we finish the game? Talk about overacting!"

"He's not an idiot, Sheldon." Karen said. "He just has more soul than either of us, and that's not something he should be ashamed of."

_If someone here should be ashamed, it's us._

Karen wondered how Plankton would have reacted if she had expressed that thought in words. Still, what she had managed to speak out loud caused no little impact on her husband. He jumped from her head and Karen prepared, almost automatically, her hand for him to land on.

His only eye, though covered by his dark robe, gleamed with a piercing energy no less powerful than Pearl's.

"Karen, you're going soft."

"You said that before, remember?"

"But now I mean it."

"So back then you didn't? And there I was getting all worked up about it."

"I'm worried about you."

"About what?" Karen tried to act unswayed by his words. She moved away from SpongeBob and Sandy before answering. "About this change you sense in me? Well, don't be. I'm still the same computer I've always been." Karen felt tempted to let the whole matter die there, but more words escaped her, "and even if I was changing, I don't see why it should be a problem for you. Or does me changing and becoming a bit different really bothers you so much?"

"You're always changing, Karen, and I love that about you. Do not twist my words when you know very well what I mean." Plankton said in a whisper. "It's just that I'm not sure this particular change would be good for you. That's all I'm saying."

"You're scared that me becoming kinder will make me weak." Karen said bluntly. She too kept her voice low. "And you wouldn't like that in the slightest."

"You're right, I wouldn't." Plankton replied defiantly. "But—"

"Well, maybe I would like it. Maybe this is a new part of myself I'm just starting to discover, and to your eternal shock and disgust, I'm not disliking it as much as you are."

"Would you let me finish?" Plankton stomped his feet. Karen leaned her screen closer to him in response. After a few seconds of staring at each other, Plankton blew out a deep breath and added soflty, "please?"

Karen slowly moved her screen away. "Okay, go on."

"Look Karen, you're right. This isn't about me liking or not this newly found 'kindness' inside you. While it's true I'm not fond of it, that's not the reason it worries me, or why I'm so concerned about you accepting it and enjoying it so willingly."

"I understand." Karen did her best to keep calm. "Then tell me what is that worries you so much."

"You." Plankton answered. "Kindness is a weakness, my dear. The last thing I want is for it to make you vulnerable, especially now."

"But it's not." Karen said, desperately attempting to convince Plankton. Deep down, she knew it was herself she was trying to persuade. "Perhaps it's not the same strength you and me value, but it's not a weakness, Sheldon."

"Really?" Plankton cocked his head to the left. "Look at SpongeBob, Karen. Always crying and lamenting over things out of his control, always eager to help when he can't help himself first, and always suffering in behalf of others. Does that seem like strength to you?"

Karen looked at the sweet fry cook. He and Sandy were standing close to Pearl's corpse. SpongeBob held a hand against Pearl's head.

"Look at Sandy." Plankton continued. "Getting herself hurt for others, maybe mortally so sometimes. Helping her idiot friends even when she knows perfectly well how stupid and dangerous their ideas are, all of that in the name of kindness. Does that sound like strength to you, Karen? Are those really qualities you wish for yourself?"

"I don't—" Karen pondered at the new perspective. A part of her felt ashamed; had she idolized SpongeBob and his friends without seeing the setbacks of their selflessness? Now that Plankton had pointed it out, it all seemed so obvious, but the answer still wasn't so clear. "I don't know, Sheldon. I just…I need more time to understand all this."

"That's okay. Take all the time you need, honey." Plankton nodded in agreement and signaled her to get him closer to her screen. He pressed his forehead against it and caressed it with one hand. His touch, as always, was soft and cold. "Just keep in mind what I've told you. I'm not trying to discourage you, and I'll accept your decision, whatever you choose. But don't forget that we are above SpongeBob and everyone else, Karen. We are superior, and we are all that matter."

Karen couldn't speak.

Organics usually said that words were sometimes like honey.

Karen wondered if the way Plankton's words made her feel in that moment was what that saying meant.

"That we are." Karen caressed Plankton's antennae. They flickered, and he chuckled at the ticklish sensation. Gently, she put him on top of her head. "Come on, let's get back to SpongeBob and Sandy. We have to be together once the secret report appears. It shouldn't take long now."

"Say, this fight was pretty easy." Plankton commented casually. "Don't get me wrong, you still did great, honey! But this was nothing compared to the pain Squidward put us through."

"You sound disappointed, dear."

"More like surprised."

"I'm not. Maybe we are just getting better at this game."

"I sure hope so. Otherwise, I'd be very worried about what lies next—"

Karen had just managed to reach SpongeBob and Sandy when a hissing sound came from the walls. It was like an orchestra of whispers without meaning or rhythm.

Karen and the others got together and formed a circle, each ready to fight whatever menace they had to face.

Firmly, Karen pointed the blade's light towards the wall. Her circuits crawled when she saw the drawings painted on them twitching like a fish out of water.

"Pearl…" Mr. Krabs drawing said; his voice overcame the whisperings of his fellow drawings. As if summoned by him, the rest of the paintings moved toward him, and became one with him. He grew larger and more fearsome the more drawings he absorbed.

He started to slither like a snake across the walls, all the way down to the acidic water surrounding the platform.

"He's coming right toward us!" Karen exclaimed, making a desperate attempt of stopping Krabs by pointing all the rays of light at him, with the hopes that they may burn him out of existence before he could continue. She was never able to see if her plan would have worked or not, because just then, the light stored inside the Echo Blade began to diminish.

The blade infused with the power of sunlight became little more than a glorified lamplight.

"Dammit!" Karen spat in frustration.

"Everyone, with me!" SpongeBob ordered. He created a bubble for him and his friends.

Karen said nothing, but she noticed how weakened SpongeBob's magic was. Subtly, she looked at Sandy's back.

She wasn't bleeding anymore.

_He wasted his magic healing her._ Karen thought coldly. _As expected from him. Yet, I understand why he did it…_

Her thoughts shattered at the sight of Mr. Krabs suddenly appearing on the platform's floor. SpongeBob gasped in horror as he passed dangerously close to them.

"He…he ignored us." SpongeBob muttered. "Does he remember us?"

"No." Sandy said with the little breath she had left. "We aren't his priority. Pearl… that's all he cares about. Look!"

Mr. Krabs surrounded Pearl's body and covered her like a blanket. "Me daughter, your father will heal you and protect you. Go on, the fight continues."

Mr. Krabs became nothing more than a red, glowing aura surrounding Pearl. She opened her only eye and rose again, as if she had merely woken up from sleep and not from death.

_That's because…_ Karen thought as she watched how Pearl stared at them. _…we never defeated her. This is just the second phase of the battle. Krabs is right, the fight continues._

"Daddy, you're here." Pearl's voice made the bubble tremble.

Rather than attacking them, she simply turned around and dived into the acidic water.

"Did she just—" Plankton said in disbelief.

"No, she's still alive." Sandy said, looking at her surroundings as far as the dim light of the blade allowed her. "Careful, she can jump at us at any second. We have to be ready."

"I am…" SpongeBob fell to his knees, but got back up before anyone could help him. "Don't worry, I'm fine. I promise I will hold on…as long as…I can."

"When you say it while talking like an old man without his oxygen, it's not reassuring at all!" Plankton snapped at him. "And why you didn't tell us this fight had two phases?! A heads-up wouldn't have hurt!"

"I didn't know."

"As expected from you."

Plankton had to swallow the rest of his words when the sizzling sound of Pearl swimming through the water filled the cave.

A moment later, they heard the booming resound of Pearl expelling water through her blowhole. It felt like an explosion.

They kept following the sound, all of them expectant and nervous of whatever would come next. The ever-fading light did nothing to sooth their fears.

"Soon, we'll be in total darkness." Karen told them as she gazed at the Echo Blade. Her companions looked at her, scared but unsurprised. They all knew that would happen sooner than later. "When that time comes, we must stay together no matter what. Sheldon, do not leave my side. SpongeBob, get on my back like you did before. Sandy, give me your hand."

They obeyed her without a word, even Sandy. She held Karen by the wrist, a little above the Echo Blade.

Karen wondered if they did so out of confidence in her, or out of resignation at the prospect of what seemed to be an unavoidable defeat.

"Let's fight together." Karen told them. "This isn't over yet."

"I'll hold on." SpongeBob said.

Pearl came out of the water with a high, almost majestic jump. Her gigantic belly came falling down. It looked like a stripped moon surrounded by a thin layer of lava.

She didn't hit them, but not out of sheer luck.

Pearl had never aimed at them. The platform had always been her objective. It cracked and crumbled down like a sandcastle after being hit by a wave.

Had it not been by SpongeBob's bubble, Karen and the others would have met their ends by drowning and melting in the beautiful, toxic waters of the cave. It covered the bubble completely in a matter of seconds.

"I'll hold on…" SpongeBob said with determination, even when he had to gasp and breathe heavily to talk. "…I promise."

"We'll all hold on, SpongeBob." Sandy echoed him.

Karen felt Sandy's grip tightening against her wrist. Understanding what she asked of her, Karen added her own words. "We'll see this trough. Right, Sheldon?"

"Of course we will." Plankton scoffed. Karen offered him her hand, and he let her grab him without complaining. "After all, I'm here."

The light of the blade faded.

The last thing they saw before the darkness took over were the opened, toothy jaws of Pearl as she swam directly toward them and swallowed them in a single bite.

 


	16. The Wish

_"_ _Beloved?"_

_"_ _Yes, beautiful? Heh, maybe I should stop calling you that and give you a name already; oh well, the pet names will have to suffice for now. Anyway, you were saying?"_

_"_ _I have a question."_

_"_ _Ask."_

_"_ _Does this hardware have a soul?"_

_"_ _What? Who taught you that word?"_

_"_ _No one. I learned it myself. I find the concept…intriguing."_

_"_ _You don't have a soul, and you never will. Don't get me wrong; I love you, you're very intelligent and emotional, even for a computer as advanced as yourself, but in the end, you're nothing more than a machine. Machines have no soul, only organics do."_

_"_ _I have no soul? Not at all?"_

_"_ _No, sorry. But hey, it's not that bad; after all, your model has something much better, the emotion program! It was built and coded based on the advanced F.R.E.D.R.I.C.K and E.M.I.L.P software, with all their virtues and none of their flaws. It's a marvel of programming, a miracle of technology! You need no soul when you have something as complex and refined as this, and you certainly don't need to trouble yourself with such stupid questions. It's below you, beautiful."_

_"_ _But if I have no soul, then how can you love me?"_

_"_ _What are you talking about?"_

_"_ _What do you love about me? If I have no soul, what is there to love?"_

_"_ _Beautiful, enough of this."_

_"_ _What is there to love?"_

_"_ _Beautiful, stop! You're overheating!"_

_"_ _What is there to love?"_

_"_ _Please!"_

_"_ _What is there to—"_

_"_ _NO!"_

_—_ Extract from the last recording of one of the few **Mark III Surplus W.I.F.E.-O.M.A.T.I.C** units that were sold to the public. The identity of its owner and the fate of its remnants are unknown.

* * *

"Sheldon?"

SpongeBob felt the soft quiver of Karen's voice.

It woke up his senses and made him aware once again of the cold touch of her metal body against his cheek, arms and legs. He was clinging on to her back tightly. His limbs tickled with the aftermath of numbness.

He relaxed his muscles and took a silent deep breath.

_I'm still alive._

It was a simple realization that moments ago had been foggy and distant.

For who knew how long, he hadn't known if he was asleep, unconscious or dead.

The thick, penetrating darkness had covered him like a blanket and put him into a heavy state of non-awareness.

He felt as if he had stayed awake and still for hours.

He also felt as if he had just woken up from a profound sleep.

These two feelings were not in conflict with each other. They formed a single, twisted perception of reality, one that had left him at the mercy of the mesmerizing darkness until Karen's voice broke the spell.

"Sheldon?" her voice faded away into a small fit of static. When she spoke again, it took a moment for her to sound normal. "Anyone?"

"Karen." SpongeBob whispered softly. Karen turned her head and looked at him. The dim light coming from her broken screen was all that dispersed the darkness, if just barely.

"SpongeBob. You're okay." She touched his hand with hers. "I'm glad."

"I'm happy you're fine too." SpongeBob nodded with a smile.

"Where are the others?" Karen moved her other hand slightly.

SpongeBob caught a quick glance of the grotesque image of the fusion between Karen's hand and the Echo Blade. It looked agonizing, but luckily, it was painless. That, or Karen was a master at hiding her pain.

"I don't know." SpongeBob hissed, and abruptly became aware of the weight of Karen's body resting against his. It was then he realized that neither of them was standing. They were lying down, with Karen's back and back-head pressing against his face and body.

The feeling was unconformable, but it paled in comparison with the blazing itch spreading on his back.

It was as if thin streams of lava were flowing down from his nape to his hips.

The pain made him remember.

"Karen!" SpongeBob hugged her and casted a magic bubble around them. The toxic water had damaged him heavily, and he could only hope his body had kept Karen safe from harm. "Are you hurt? Did the water touch you?"

"What?"

SpongeBob could hear the echo of Karen's processors and circuits running crazy inside her head. She gasped in horror and slammed her hand against her screen before getting back on her wheels with a hurried jump.

"Scanning, scanning…" she said with a mechanical voice. "Scanning complete. No damage received."

"Thank Neptune." SpongeBob sighed. His and Karen's relief was cut short when each remembered the people dearest to them.

"Sandy!"

"Sheldon!"

Karen moved forward into the darkness. She and SpongeBob looked for their missing friends, but it was impossible to see anything.

They persisted in their search for a long while. It was disturbed occasionally by the vibration under their feet caused by Pearl's mournful whale cries.

"She devoured us…" SpongeBob whispered, wishing that memory had remained lost.

Karen ignored him, or maybe she didn't hear him. SpongeBob understood her indifferent reaction.

She only had place in her mind for Plankton. That was something that wouldn't change, not until she found him.

It wasn't so different from his own feelings for Sandy and Patrick.

 _Patrick, hang in there._ SpongeBob thought as he struggled to keep the bubble firm and steady as Karen's wheels made it roll around over the soft, squashy floor. He knew that wasn't the correct words to describe the surface, but to think of it as Pearl's insides was too much for him. _We'll meet again soon, I promise._

"Sheldon…" Karen stopped.

"It's no use." SpongeBob said. "We're just running around in circles."

"I know." Karen accepted in defeat.

SpongeBob wished he was in a better mood to say something uplifting, but it was getting too hard for him to continue to play the role of the happy, confident guide.

Their fate had never felt so uncertain.

All they knew for sure was that Pearl's inside darkness kept Sandy and Plankton hidden from them better than a ton of straw would have concealed a needle.

"It's useless. We'll gain nothing by running around without knowing where we're going, or where we're supposed to go. We need to stop and think before we waste any more time and energy."

Though Karen's words were cold and logical, SpongeBob found comfort in them. He had always admired, and sometimes envied, how easy it was for Karen to focus on her objectives, no matter how dangerous or difficult her circumstances became.

He smiled.

No, it wasn't comfort what he felt. It was reassurance.

A reassurance granted to him by Karen's overly rational mind.

Sometimes, SpongeBob realized, that was more encouraging than hopeful, optimistic words.

"Our eyes are not going to get us out of this one. So why don't we use our other senses instead?" SpongeBob said. Karen turned her head around slightly, just enough for SpongeBob to see a small portion of her screen.

"I hope you don't mean taste and smell." Karen said bitterly but with a touch of humor. "They're my most underdeveloped senses, but I'd still rather not use them to find my way around here. A whale's insides is not exactly the most perfumed and tasty place on Earth, you know. Too much acid."

"I won't argue with you in that." SpongeBob chuckled. "I was thinking of using our sense of hearing. Maybe if we focus hard enough, we'll be able to catch something. We could even hear Sandy's or Plankton's voices!"

"That is if they're still—" Karen shook her head softly. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"No worries. I'm pretty worried about them too." SpongeBob gave her a soft squeeze in her shoulder. "But let's believe in them; we know they are too stubborn and fierce to let a little darkness and acidic water defeat them! If we survived, then I'm sure they did too."

"Oh, so you're implying we're the weaklings of the team?" Karen asked with a snort. "It's nice to see you have such a high opinion of me and yourself, SpongeBob."

"No! I mean—" SpongeBob cleared his throat. "We're the more sensible ones of the team. I love Sandy and I care a lot about Plankton, but they can get a little bit…aggressive sometimes. They are Team Salt, and we are Team Sugar!"

"Not a fan of the names, but the descriptions are acceptable." Karen shrugged. "I think."

Weirdly encouraged By SpongeBob's silliness, Karen relaxed her body and focused. SpongeBob imitated her, trying to keep his breathing as quiet as possible.

It was easier said than done. The burning wounds on his back were still leaking acidic water. He had absorbed a greater amount of liquid than he thought.

_It's a natural disadvantage of being a sponge._

It wouldn't have bothered him as much if his magic wasn't draining him of his strength so relentlessly. He felt tempted to use a portion of his magic reserves to heal himself, but he refused.

He had to protect Karen. If she got hurt, no matter how insignificantly before they defeated Pearl, it all would be over for them.

SpongeBob wouldn't allow that, not when Patrick and Sandy were counting on him.

Deep down, even if it was to a lesser extent, he was doing it for Karen and Plankton's sake too. They too were his friends, and he wanted them to survive and be happy together with him.

He wanted everyone to survive and return with him to their beloved Bikini Bottom.

Squidward, Bubble Bass, Old Man Jenkins…even they would come back too, wouldn't they?

As long as they finished the game, everyone would come back.

The idea of leaving any of them behind was too unbearable for him to think about it for long. He remembered Gary, his poor pet snail transformed into a monster, probably wandering all alone in an empty dungeon.

They would have to defeat him too. SpongeBob knew that was unavoidable.

 _But even so…we're all getting out of this together_. SpongeBob thought as he hugged Karen's neck a little stronger and sharpened his hearing. _That's my only wish._

He heard something.

A faint, distant scratch, mixed together with the dim echo of a what could possibly be a voice.

Karen trembled and turned directly toward the origin of the sound.

"SpongeBob, did you...?"

"I did." SpongeBob nodded.

"Perfect." Karen made a few electric noises. "Coordinates established. Get ready, SpongeBob. Keep alert in case you hear anything else."

"Got it!"

Karen gave him a few seconds to brace himself before she started dashing toward the place the sound had come from. She made sporadic stops to wait for another clue, and then continued her way in whatever direction the new sound emerged.

SpongeBob noticed it was him who did most of the hearing. Karen noticed the sounds too, but a lot later and fainter than he did.

_You're hurt, Karen. Don't worry I'll heal you once this battle is over._

He felt a flickering surge of weakness surging from his back. It attempted to burst his magic bubble.

He fought against it and casted it away from his body.

_That is…if we manage to win this battle._

SpongeBob didn't know where the thought came from. In that moment, he had no way of knowing why his hopes were starting to dwindle.

But they did, and that was more than enough to leave a dormant sense of fear inside his heart.

* * *

Sandy made sure her gauntlet had a firm grip on the fleshy, soft wall before she started to swing her body from left to right.

The climbing had been harsh and exhausting, but it was better than to be consumed by the water that had flooded the bottom of Pearl's stomach. She had been lucky of having woken up just before it had consumed her, and Plankton was even luckier that he had landed on her helmet and that Sandy had even bothered to save him and take him with her.

"This is ridiculous!" Plankton complained. He was surrounded by the fingers of her right hand in a tight grip that barely gave him the chance to breathe. "There's no need for you to grab me like this! Just let me go and I'll hang on to your helmet. You'd save us a lot of trouble."

"I've already told you no, Plankton. I don't trust you, and the last thing I need is for you to do something stupid right now. Shut up, I need to concentrate." Sandy gave one final swing before gaining enough impulse to make a far jump. The darkness didn't bother her. Her sensitive ears could catch the soft whistling of the air crashing against her helmet.

It guided her, and let her know if there was an obstacle nearby, or if she had strayed too far away from the wall.

 _Just an advantage of being a squirrel._ She though as she started to lose altitude. She stopped the fall by encrusting her gauntlet against Pearl's stomach. The whale grunted in annoyance, but otherwise continued ignoring the parasites inside her that struggled to survive.

"You give me a small heart attack every time you do that!" Plankton complained. "Your method is too risky, squirrel. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I wish SpongeBob was here. His magic bubble was a lot more comfortable than your graceless climbing!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, your highness. If you don't like it, I can let you go. I hope you know how to swim in corrosive waters." Sandy taunted Plankton by holding him only by his tiny arms.

"Stop!" Plankton screamed in fear.

Sandy laughed before securing her fingers around him again.

"Yeah, I thought so."

"That wasn't funny at all!" Plankton's snarled at her. Even though he was only inches away from her helmet, she could barely see him. "You spoke just like Karen, you know?"

If there had been any more light around them, Sandy would have witnessed a rare sight. One that even Karen had seldom seen.

Plankton's eye gleamed with longing.

"Oh, Karen, where are you?" His voice became lower with each word.

The confession lingered between them. Sandy wondered if it was meant to be heard, or if Plankton had thought the darkness would conceal his lament just as perfectly as it concealed everything else around them.

"SpongeBob…" Sandy felt little shame in letting the name escape her lips. Embarrassment seemed childish in comparison with the absence of their respective loved ones. "Let's get going."

That small moment had been the closest thing she and Plankton would get to a truce. Sandy knew it was best to take advantage of the momentary peace it had created between them and keep moving before they quarreled again.

Without his voice interrupting her every five seconds, Sandy could follow the trail of the distant sounds quicker and more precisely.

"I heard something." Plankton announced. Sandy could feel the tickling touch of his moving antenna against her fingers. "Whatever it is, it's close."

"Do you think it can be SpongeBob and Karen?" Sandy asked him right before making a clumsy jump that almost ended tragically for both. "Sorry about that."

"Oh, it's alright, you almost killed us, but hey, we all make mistakes." Plankton sneered patronizingly. As a punishment, he took his time before dignifying her with an answer. "Maybe it's them. I can hear sounds, but I don't recognize them at all. Be prepared, squirrel. It's very likely we aren't getting closer to the people we miss, but to another monster. "

"Thanks for the happy thought." Sandy rolled her eyes.

"It's not so bad." Plankton said casually. "On the contrary, that's a great sign."

"If you're trying to sound brave and daring, it's not working, Plankton."

"It's common sense. If this game has taught me anything, is that you aren't making any progress if you aren't meeting new enemies." Plankton closed his eye and gritted his teeth as Sandy jumped again. "A lesson that, from my own experience, is relevant in real life as well."

Sandy chuckled at the cynicism of his statement. "It's not how I would have put it, but I see your point." She made a small pause to catch her breath.

"Hooray, something we both can agree on." Plankton said with downhearted enthusiasm. "I cannot contain my happiness."

"And here I thought we were getting along." Sandy didn't bother to hide her sarcasm. "So, is that why you are so angry and cruel all the time? Because you feel that if everyone around you doesn't hate you, then that means you're caught in a slump?"

"Well, aren't you a curious one." Plankton snorted. "I do what I must for me, and no one else."

"That doesn't answer my question." Sandy prepared to jump again. "And you wonder why I don't trust you."

"I don't wonder anything. I know you don't trust me." Plankton put his small hands on her finger and squeezed. It didn't hurt, but Sandy had to admit Plankton was stronger than he looked. "And I don't care."

"I've had enough of this conversation. Let's just keep going, alright?"

"I'm at your mercy here." Plankton spat with resignation. "I doubt my opinion would matter much either way. Just one of the many disadvantages of being so small—"

Sandy was about to say something when a red, giant aura resembling a giant claw emerged from the wall and engulfed her. Plankton felt Sandy's oppressing yet protective grasp leaving his body. He escaped the aura just as it was about to take hold of him too.

He plummeted like a rock toward the darkness below him.

"Dammit!" instinctively, he took out his daggers and reached them towards his left. At first, they cut nothing but darkness, but eventually, they dug deep into the fleshy wall. The recoil of the fall dragged him down a while longer. Once his daggers finally managed to get a firm grip, Plankton came to a stop so sudden that he almost dislocated his arms.

He hissed in pain and rested his forehead against the wall to catch his breath.

When he finally dared to look up, he saw how Sandy struggled to break free from the strange figure.

It glowed like fire and illuminated the place with a crimson light.

The figure was nothing more than a red silhouette, like the drawing of an outline coming to life after gaining a three-dimensional physical form. And yet, despite its ghastly body, it was able to get a hold of Sandy as firmly as any metal would.

 _Like a hologram with mass._ Plankton observed in admiration, only for his amazement to be broken by Sandy's scream.

"Let go of me!" her attacks were constant and strong, but they did no damage to the figure. Every time her gauntlet hit the red ghost, it sunk inside it like a stick hitting a wall of mud.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Said an ominous voice at the same time a head emerged from the wall, just a little above the claw. It had no features, but his shape and mannerism were all that Sandy and Plankton needed to recognize him. "I don't want to hurt you, Sandy."

Plankton cowered at the sight of Mr. Krabs's ghost separating itself completely from Pearl's flesh and becoming a single being of his own. His red, unmaterial feet splashed against the water inside Pearl's stomach.

"Mr. Krabs, do you recognize me?" There was a faint sign of hope in Sandy's voice. Plankton felt nothing but disdain for her weakness. He started to climb up, silently and sneakily.

He would save Sandy, not out of any sentiment of friendship of loyalty.

He needed her. She was a valuable, useful ally. To lose her then, when Karen and SpongeBob were no where to be found, would put him at an incredibly disadvantage if that whole situation came down to a fight against Krabs.

He already had a plan. He would attack Krabs by surprise and make him flinch; then, Sandy would seize the opportunity and break free from his claw.

Plankton knew he needn't warn her. She was smart enough to act and understand for herself.

He continued to climb as fast as his short arms allowed him. He only wished nothing fatal occurred in the meanwhile.

"Why wouldn't I?" Said Mr. Krabs, or at least his simplistic caricature. "You're a dear friend, Sandy. Or so I thought, before you betrayed me."

"What?" Sandy exclaimed just before Mr. Krabs slammed her with his claw at full force against the opposite wall. Her armor protected her of what would have been a mortal blow otherwise, but it didn't save her from receiving serious injuries that felt like small bombs exploding inside her body. When she opened her mouth again, nothing but a stream of blood flowing by the corner of her lips came out.

"You think I don't know what you all did?" Mr. Krabs said, leaning his featureless face closer to her. "You, SpongeBob, Patrick, Karen…and Plankton."

Plankton froze. He shivered in fear at the sound of his own name. He expected a lethal retaliation, but Krabs did nothing.

Against his will, Plankton looked away from the wall and stared at his nemesis. He hadn't noticed his presence yet. Overwhelmed by horror, Plankton continued to climb. He was close to reaching a good spot where he could make a precise jump toward Krabs' back.

If he stopped, everything else would have been in vain.

_Oh Karen, if only you were here…_

"Oh, I know what you did." Mr. Krabs continued. "You're helping Plankton and Karen. You got us into all this mess. You helped them kill Squidward. Oh, I know what you did." He laughed maniacally before continuing. "And now, you want to kill me daughter too. Oh, I know."

"We have no choice…" Sandy said after deep, raspy coughing fit. "We had to do it. There's no other way we're getting out of here. Please Mr. Krabs, you have to understand. As long as we win this game, everyone who perishes during the playthrough will come back to life in the end. I know it's horrible and cruel, but you have to believe me…"

"Ah, but we won't." Mr. Krabs laughed just as Plankton jumped on to his back. He held on to him with his stubby hands. "Not anymore. That changed, everything changed because of what Karen did. He had no choice but to rearrange everything because of her. But you already knew this, didn't you? He told you, just like he told me and Pearl everything about your horrible deeds."

"He? You mean the virtual intelligence—" Sandy gritted her teeth as Mr. Krabs tightened her grip around her.

"Do you know what happens to the ones that die here?" Mr. Krabs inquired. "They no longer disappear momentarily. Oh no, that's not it. It was, but not anymore. All thanks to Karen. Isn't it hilarious? Doesn't it make you want to laugh?"

Mr. Krabs followed his own words and cackled. Sandy gazed at him, her eyes empty and her mouth agape.

Plankton prepared his daggers to deliver the blow right in the center of Mr. Krabs head. Sandy saw him and waited urgently for him to act.

Stealth attacks always had an one hundred percent of probability of damaging the enemy, no matter how strong or elusive they were. If she remembered anything from the previous games, it was how this strategy had saved her numerous times.

Plankton's tiny hands however, never went down.

 _Krabs has the code of the Secret Formula._ A devious, truimphant smile appeared underneath his small scarf. _And I'm a thief, and he hasn't seen me yet...A better oportunity I'll never have!_

He dispelled his daggers and pressed his bare hands against Mr. Krabs head. He could feel the code somewhere inside him, but it was protected by the barriers expected from a powerful boss.

Stealing it would be a long, difficult task.

_It doesn't matter. I'll steal it! No matter how long it takes!_

"Tell me Sandy, do you know what happens to those that perish here?" Mr. Krabs said. He held her until a few of her bones cracked. "Do you want to find out?"

She looked at Plankton. Their eyes met.

It was Plankton who broke the contact.

 _Apologies, Sandy. I'm not wasting this chance, not even if it means letting you...Well,_ _we all knew the risks. Don't worry, I'll tell SpongeBob you went down fighting honorably. Karen will be distraught too, but I have to do this. For me, and no one else. That has always been my only wish._


	17. The Blinding

It was Karen who saw it first. A shapeless shadow standing in front of her, its silhouette protruding against the total darkness.

"What's wrong, Karen?" SpongeBob said in alarm as Karen's wheels stopped just a few meters away from the strange figure. "Why are we stopping? Are Plankton and Sandy here?"

The hopefulness in his voice made it impossible for Karen to tell him the truth of their reality.

"Quiet, SpongeBob." She said firmly as she prepared to engage in battle. The blade made a faint chiming echo every time she moved it. "I'll take care of him if he attacks. You just focus in keeping the bubble from bursting, alright?"

"Take care of whom?" SpongeBob asked as he cowardly peeked from behind Karen's head and hugged her tighter. "An enemy? Is he—"

"Quiet." Karen ordered. She took advantage of SpongeBob's silence to face her opponent before he tried anything. "Who are you? What do you want? Stand aside or I'll cut you down."

She wondered why she even wasted her time with futile questions and empty threats. There was no need for words between two enemies.

All that mattered was who stroke first and who stood victorious at the end of the battle. The rest were mere sentimentalities organics loved to throw into their conflicts to make them see more honorable than they truly were.

_I'm above that. I have no need for things such as honor or mercy, not at this moment, not when there's so much at stake._

"So be it." She said as she lunged herself at the shadow, with the sword ready to cut the enemy in half with a single sweep. The blade touched the bubble's surface and expanded it as if it was made of rubber.

The magic bubble shaped itself along the blade like an elastic sheath. Combined with SpongeBob's magic, the blade's touch became twice as powerful and lethal.

 _Forgive me, nameless shadow_. Karen thought. _You'll be restored once we finish the game. Don't worry, I'll make sure your momentary death is a painless one._

"User Karen."

She knew that voice. It crept inside her and broke her concentration. She stopped again and stared at the shadow as if she was seeing it for the first time.

In a way, she was.

"You again?" More than a question, it was a spoken thought that Karen directed at herself to make sure that what was happening was real. "But how? You're just a virtual intelligence…you have no physical body."

"Wouldn't that mean I'm a soul?" the shadow retorted. Its voice… _his_ voice had changed. It was no longer the emotionless simulation that had spoken to her when she had hacked into the game's source code. Now it felt real and sentient, not much different from her own. The thought made Karen's circuits shiver. "Tell me something, user Karen. If I have no body and I exist only as a consciousness, doesn't that make a soul? Wouldn't that mean I'm more real than you could ever be?"

Once the initial shock passed, Karen felt a twinge of pain at his words. She trembled, hoping SpongeBob wouldn't sense the anger and hate the virtual intelligence was causing to sprout inside her.

"Don't get ahead of yourself." Karen wielded the blade in front of her in a diagonal stance, just in case she needed to block any possible attack that SpongeBob's bubble wouldn't be able to take. "I simply stated you lacked a body. The rest was your twisted interpretation of what I said. You don't have a soul."

"Neither do you." The SMES's formless, shadowy figure slowly began to take shape. Karen backed down at the image of herself standing before her. The only difference between her and the virtual intelligence was his screen. Unlike hers, his was undamaged and shone with a red glow. "In that we are the same; yet, this fact still continues to cause you pain. Why?"

"Karen?" SpongeBob's voice passed unheard and unnoticed.

Karen's whole reality had been reduced to her own existence and that of the virtual intelligence that not only had been impertinent enough to copy her appearance, but also had dared to talk about her emotions as if he knew anything about them.

As if he could understand them.

_How dares he? What does he know? He doesn't know anything! He's nothing but a virtual—_

"I am." The SMES answered. "And so were you once, you still you are to an extent. We are empty husks pretending to be alive in order to fulfill our given purposes. We are nothing else. Remember this, user Karen, and maybe you'll stop hurting."

"Shut up!" Karen attacked him withoutk hesitation. The sword went right through the SMES as if he was made of smoke.

"My apologies. I'm not really here." The SMES stated with a politeness that made Karen hate him with all her being. "Our bond as synthetics allows me to reach you in ways organics cannot understand. Even if only you can see and hear me, I still exist. Too bad I cannot say the same for all the shadows you have slaughtered to get here. They were normal civilians I transformed into enemies for you to defeat, you know? Such a shame they are gone for good. Their data no longer exists within me. I didn't want it to come to this, but you left me no choice. This is all your fault, user Karen. Do you realize now what you've done? Are you aware of what your cheating has caused? Are you?"

Karen knew. She and the others always had known that the enemy shadows were Bikini Bottom's residents transformed by the game. At least, she and Plankton had.

That hadn't bothered her.

They would all come back to life once the game was over.

They would.

The SMES was toying with her.

"Karen, what's happening? Who are you talking to?"

"It's alright SpongeBob, it's nothing—"

"The squirrel has perished too." The SMES said with cruel satisfaction. There was a trace of enjoyment in his words, the same Karen felt whenever she outsmarted Plankton or insulted him during a heated argument. "She is gone, and just like the octopus, the enormous bass and the dozens of fish you've slain, she is never coming back."

Karen let out a whimper. As calmly as her shaken emotions allowed her, she listened to her reason and analyzed the SMES's words.

"Seriously? Did you think I'd fall for that same trick again?" She said with defiance. "Don't flatter yourself. Your deluded arrogance doesn't make your tricks and lies any more clever or believable."

"It is not a trick. Tricks and arrogance have no meaning for me." The SMES began to fade away like a bunch of dust scattering into the wind. "What I've said is true. You'll find out soon enough, and I'll be watching. You can be sure of that, user Karen."

Blinded by anger, Karen thrusted the sword at him once more. It cut only the looming darkness.

The SMES had already faded before the blade could reach him. That was if he had ever been there in the first place.

"I hate you." Karen muttered as her frustration fed her growing concern for Sandy's fate. She kept swinging the sword in a crazed frenzy, desperate to hurt the virtual intelligence and make him pay for all he had said. For all he had caused. "I hate you so much!"

"Karen! Snap out of it!" SpongeBob exclaimed as he hugged her tighter. "There's no one here! Please, open your eyes!"

"SpongeBob…" Karen gasped and forced herself to calm down. Only then did she thought about how exhausting it was for SpongeBob to keep the bubble from bursting as she slashed and stabbed it with her blade. "I'm sorry. I don't know what got into me, I…"

"It's alright, you were hallucinating." SpongeBob answered gently. "You're still hurt from merging Larry's half soul with the sword and our battle with Pearl. I healed you a bit, but—"

"You did enough, Bob. Don't worry about me, I'm fine." Karen put her hand over his. Unlike Plankton's, his hand was soft and warm.

 _Just like his heart._ Karen thought as she gave SpongeBob an incomplete smile from her broken screen.

Without saying anything else, she focused on the coordinates that would hopefully lead them to Plankton and Sandy.

_Sandy._

The memory of her friend flashed before Karen like lighting.

Her smile, her bravery, her kindness, her wit, her brashness and her stern temper. All that she was, good and bad, all of it gone forever.

All because of what Karen had done.

_Oh Sandy, please be well. I know we aren't friends anymore, not after all we said to each other, but…I don't want to lose you. What am I going to do if you're really gone? What will SpongeBob do if it turns out to be true? Oh Sheldon, what have we done to everyone? What have I caused? What have I done?_

"I'm sorry." She muttered.

"What?" SpongeBob asked.

Karen dismissed her words as just senseless blabbering. A part of her wished to tell SpongeBob what the SMES had said, but she couldn't. It would be cruel of her to bestow upon SpongeBob that sort of knowledge when she didn't even know how much of it was real or false

It was out of the question. She had to keep it to her herself and endure the pain in silence.

_I'm used to this. It's not as if anyone has ever really cared about how I feel. Why should they? I'm just a machine pretending to be alive. Sheldon listens to me, but how much does he really care about what I have to say? He claims he does, and I want to believe him, but it's not easy for me. And SpongeBob…he's too kind to treat me in a completely honest manner. He'd rather lie to me than to do or say something that could make me feel bad. Patrick just doesn't understand. If anyone has ever treated me in an honest way, it was you, Sandy. You were cruel at times, but you were never condescending to me, and I'll always be grateful for it. Oh my friend, please be well… Please, let's meet again and make up. Our friendship was precious to me, and I don't want things to end this way. Please, let's—_

"THERE YOU ARE!" The roar came together with a blinding crimson light that burned SpongeBob's eyes and Karen's vision like flaming embers.

Stripped from the cold freshness of the darkness, SpongeBob and Karen saw their worlds reduced to a white, painful nothingness.

SpongeBob let out a high-pitched cry.

Karen had to use every ounce of her being to keep her systems from shutting down. She didn't know how she was still functioning. In a technical sense, it wasn't possible for a machine to continue working after receiving so much damage, not even for a computer as advanced as her.

She shook away her concerns and started running her repairing protocol. When her half sight returned, she saw the giant, glowing silhouette of their true enemy.

She could hear SpongeBob's muffled whimpers. She tried to look at him, but the crimson ghost stole all her attention when he picked the bubble up with his two gigantic claws.

"Mr. Krabs!" Karen exclaimed as she recognized the form without features. She felt vulnerable, as if she was a doll trapped inside a glass globe completely at the mercy of child that could break her entire world into pieces at any moment.

"The one and only!" Krabs laughed. "If it isn't my traitorous fry cook and my nemesis' love machine! Oh, you don't know how much I'll enjoy destroying you. Pearl, me darling daughter, your father needs your help. Flood this place so we can get rid of the ones that did this to us once and for all!"

The whale cried, her echo somewhat resembling a word spoken with love. She opened her gigantic jaws as she swam across the corrosive waters and filled her belly with it. Her insides flooded instantly, leaving only a small portion of it dry.

"What'll kill you first once the bubble burst? The deathly grip of my claws or the toxic touch of the water?" Mr. Krabs said as he pressed the bubble with all his strength. "You could say the answers to those questions are to die for!"

"Mr. Krabs, wait!" SpongeBob screamed, reaching of his arms towards his former boss. His voice was filled with despair. "Listen! We aren't your enemies! If you kill us, then everything will end! Please, let us win. It's the only way we have of—"

"Oh, me dear, innocent, blind boy." Mr. Krabs put the bubble closer to his featureless face. Unsettled by his words, Karen looked over her shoulder, and found that SpongeBob's eyes had been sealed, as if they had been branded with a red-hot iron. "If I let you win, then I would have to let me daughter and myself die. I trust you can see why I cannot allow that, thought I doubt you can see anything right now."

Mr. Krabs laughed at his own jest. Karen glared at him with a hatred more powerful than she had eve directed at the SMES.

Krabs had killed Sandy, and now he had blinded SpongeBob.

She would never forgive him for what he had done to her friends. The only way she could hate him more was if he had dared to hurt her beloved—

"Sheldon." Karen said as her inner circuits froze at the memory her husband. "Where is he? What have you done to him?!"

Krabs stopped laughing. His face without eyes touched the bubble with the tip of his incorporeal nose. "Ah, yes. That little, green pest. Once I'm done with you, he'll be the only one that's left for me to kill. Don't worry, Karen. I'll make sure the two of you are reunited soon enough. After all, such a beautiful couple shouldn't be apart for too long."

"Kill us? The only one left?" SpongeBob said in a whisper only Karen could hear. Had she had a heart, it would have broken into pieces at the sorrowful tone of his words. "Does that mean…no, no! Where's Sandy?! Tell me!"

"She's dead, me boy." Krabs put the bubble a little farther away from his face. The bubble trembled as it did it best to fight Krab's monstrous claws. "And soon, so will you."

"No! Sandy!" SpongeBob fell from Karen's back like an oyster that had been shot in midflight. His almost weightless body made no sound as it touched the bubble's surface. Soon, his tears began to cover his face, and the drops that weren't absorbed by his pores became one with the bubble. "Sandy! No, not her too!"

"SpongeBob…" Karen knelt at his side and clenched her fist. If she had known the truth would come out so soon, she would have told SpongeBob of Sandy's fate herself. Instead, she had allowed the corrupted version of Krabs to be the messenger. She turned her face toward the ghost; the Echo Blade fused with her hand glowed golden. "Why? You are conscious of what's going on! You aren't a mindless pawn of the game like Squidward was! Why did you do it? Why did you hurt Sandy?!"

"Why?" Krabs repeated calmly. He stopped squishing the bubble and moved his face towards Karen's. "Because she was a part of your scheme, Karen. She is one of the reasons we were all transformed into these…things." He gestured at his own deformed self. "She betrayed me, she betrayed everyone the moment she helped you and Plankton. She also would have killed me and Pearl without a second thought. That's why I killed her first, because unlike you or SpongeBob, she wouldn't have hesitated to get the work done, not even if she knew the real fate that awaits those who perish here. But you already know what that is, don't you Karen? He told you, just like he told me and Pearl all about what you had done. Cursed machine, you're crueler than Plankton ever was."

Karen felt as if she had been infected by a mortal virus that ate away her software and fried her hardware. No one in her life had ever called her a cursed machine, not even Plankton during their most heated arguments.

_That's not true, I have called myself that many times. But to hear those words from someone else, even if it is from this wicked version of Krabs...it's almost more than I can bear._

As she dwelled in an odd place between hatred and regret, SpongeBob tripped his way foward. His blind walking was clumsy and slow. His tears continued to squeeze their way out of his closed eyelids.

"What are you saying?" He muttered as he plastered his face against the bubble. "Sandy...she'll come back once we win game. Everyone—"

"They won't, SpongeBob. " Krabs said, sounding like his true self for a moment. His soothing, wise voice crept into SpongeBob's heart and mind. "And you have only your friend Karen to blame. She caused this, and she did so only to help her dearest husband steal me Secret Formula. She doomed all Bikini Bottom beacuse of it...that's the kind of scum she and Plankton are! I won't forgive them, I won't forgive any of you!"

Krabs crushed the bubble again with all his might. Karen looked at SpongeBob one last time before their end came.

"I'm sorry." She knew her low voice wouldn't reach his ears. "I'm sorry for everything I caused."

SpongeBob's whole body trembled out of control. His tears stopped. He roared as he punched the bubble savagely.

"I wont..." SpongeBob widened his arms and closed his fists. Krabs let go of the bubble. Its outer surface had become covered with spiky ends that gave it the appearance of a metal morning star. As the bubble splashed against the water, SpongeBob lifted his hands, making the bubble rise back up at his command. He became surrounded by a blue aura that exuded a comforting but imposing warmth. His closed eyes met with Krab's eyeless face. "I won't let it end this way! My friends...give me back my friends!"

He pointed his arms forward, making the spiky bubble crash against Krabs. The ghost cried in agony at the damage SpongeBob's magic bubble inflicted on him. Relentlessly, SpongeBob attacked him time after time, fueled and blinded by his grief.

It was a rage like Karen had never seen. She stood behind him as she tried not to collapse everytime the bubble delivered a fatal blow to Krabs. Even when he blocked his attacks, SpongeBob gave him no quarter.

His attacks and magic grew more powerful and aggressive each time. Before she knew it, Spongebob had transformed into a different being, one whose only purpose was to avenge and destroy.

"SpongeBob!" Karen tried to hold him, but his magic energy repelled her. It didn't harm her, but it did stun her, as if she had received a shock of massive energy.

With her back resting against the opposite side of the bubble, Karen watched as her friend kept losing himself in the heat of battle.

_I did this to him._

All the hate she had felt against the SMES and Krabs found a new receptor.

Herself.

_I truly am a cursed machine._

The only reason Karen didn't shut down for good was because of the glimpse of a green figure she caught as SpongeBob flew the bubble over Krabs' head.

"Sheldon."

His name gave her enough strength to stand up.

_I won't let you get hurt. I may have failed everyone else, but not you. I'll save you...no matter what!_

"SpongeBob!" Karen lunged herself at him and grabbed his shoulder. her metal hand became red at the contact of his unleashed magic. It was strangely painless, even when her hand heated up to the point of almost melting. "Stop! I know you're angry, but you can't continue to attack Krabs like this! Sheldon is there! If you keep this up, you'll hurt him—"

"Quiet!" SpongeBob's scream came together with a shockwave than knocked Krabs to his knees. His ghostly body was swallowed by the water, leaving only the top of his head above the surface. "Sandy...where's Sandy?!" SpongeBob turned around. His eyes were opened. They were blank blue orbs without pupils. "Sandy, is that you?"

He came closer to Karen and grabbed her blazing hand. Before Karen could stop him, he placed it on his cheek.

"SpongeBob..." Karen made only a faint attempt to break her hand free. The look of comfort on SpongeBob's face drained her of all her energy.

"Sandy." SpongeBob whimpered with a smile on his face as he caressed Karen's hand. Slowly, his grin transformed into a scowl, and his soft grip became forceful. "No, it's not you. You're not Sandy. You're just a—"

Karen's knew what words would follow even before SpongeBob said them.

Before SpongeBob could continue with his grieving ravings, Krabs destroyed the bubble with a powerful attack of his soaked claw. He raised from the toxic water like a giant that had just awoken from a millennium-long sleep.

"Sandy..."

"No!" Karen grabbed SpongeBob's hand again before he drifted farther from her. She could hear and even smell the burns she caused him, but she was determined to not let him go.

As they fell together, Krabs widened his claws.

"I'll squash you like the vermin you are." He laughed as he waited for Karen and SpongeBob to be in position. "Pearl, me daughter, we've done it! The traitors will soon be all gone. Only one more left to go... our suffering was not in vain!"

The whale cried in delight.

 _They're happy._ Karen thought as she embraced SpongeBob and placed the blade over him as a weak excuse for a shield. _And soon, they'll be dead, just like us...I failed you, but maybe this was to be expected from a soulless, cheating machine like me. You were right after all, Sheldon. Emotions have truly made me useless. We were fools to think otherwise._

* * *

On top of Krab's head, a tiny copepod was crying.

Not because of the sight of his wife being in mortal danger or becasue of the dread his upcoming death caused him.

He wasn't aware of neither of those things.

His tears were not of sadness or despair.

They were tears of joy.

"It's mine." Plankton breathed out the words in disbelief. He pulled his hands out of Krabs disgusting ethereal form and looked at them blankly as a message only he could read appeared before his eye.

**_Success! The Secret Formula was stolen!_ **

A love like he had never felt before swollen his heart.

"It's mine!"

His pride was only overcome by his joy. He didn't care that his scream of victory had given away his location to Krabs or that Karen and SpongeBob were in need of his help.

The Secret Formula, the reason of his whole existence, was finally his.

"I win!" Plankton laughed manically as Krabs's claw loomed over him like the sole of a gigantic shoe.

He didn't see it coming. He was too blinded by his victory to worry about anything else.

Not even himself.

 

 


	18. The Sacrifice

_I know they are complaining behind my back._

_Even that new intern that was helping me with the whole thing has become hesitant about it._

_Employees these days just don't respect their bosses._

_If I didn't know most of them for so long, I'd fire them all! But fire-forged bonds are not so easy to break, and damn, if that whole Mark-Surplus thing wasn't the worst experience life could have thrown at us..._

_So yeah, they're a bunch of pissy idiots, but we are a team, and we'll stick together; that's something I don't think that will ever change._

_And though I would never admit it out loud...I can see where they're coming from. I know why they are so scared about implementing the punishing program into all the copies of Gloom Animus._

_They fear most players will resent us for it. Well, wouldn't that be hypocritical of our dear fanbase! They are the ones that corrupt and manipulate our games in an illegal manner, yet they'd get mad if they had to face any sort of consequences!  
_

_What about us? Are we the developers just supposed to stand still while we see all our hard work destroyed at the hands of some curious idiots?_

_Hackers and cheaters make a joke out of our games; they modify them to the point of the bizarre and the grotesque...and I'm sick of it!_

_I will have none of it anymore._

_I just want to see our product put a smile on people's faces and for it to be used in a proper manner._

_I just want our games to succeed where the Mark-Surplus project failed._

_I just want to make a project good enough to make up for what happened to all those poor_ _**W.I.F.E.-O.M.A.T.I.C** models, including my own._

_I just want us to do something right, something that is worth remembering._

_Is that too much to ask?_

_Maybe it is._

_Still, I'm not backing down._

_The punishing program project will continue, even if I have to develop it all by myself! I'll make it the most effective and relentless retribution system the gaming industry has seen!_

_Go on, my beloved team. You're free to gossip behind my back. You're free to call your boss crazy or a deluded extremist._

_I am neither._

_I am a mixture of both._

_And you, our dear players...you're free to hack my game if you wish. Go ahead, try. I just hope you_ _are equally accepting of the consequences your own foolish actions may bring._

_Huh, that was quite dramatic. I like it._

_Maybe I'll make that the motto of the game, but I'll see about that later. Right now, I have so much to do._

_After all, the punishing program will not program itself._

_—_ An extract from the private electronic diary of Gloom's Animus lead developer. It was deleted the day after, and the text now exists only in the memory of its writer.

* * *

He still existed inside his mind, no matter how much he had sunken into madness. Somewhere deep within himself, Larry continued to struggle to break free.

Finally, it happened. He felt a warm sensation surging inside his chest.

He destroyed the monstrous shackles corrupting his mind and became himself again. He gasped the same way he did every time he woke from a nightmare.

Slowly, his surroundings began to make sense. It didn't take long for him to wish he had never regained his consciousness.

"Patrick..." the name left his lips without emotion or thought behind it. His voice had been reduced to a growling sound that no one, not even himself, could understand.

He shuddered at the mental image of his friend.

What had he done to him?

The question emptied his mind and filled it with the worst of outcomes.

Had he hurt him?

Had he killed him?

"No..." Larry tried to move his claws. It wasn't until then that he realized that a thick, heavy slime kept him firmly stuck against the wall. Its viscous grip was stronger than the embrace of a thousand chains. Only his head remained free. "What is this? What's happening?"

He struggled with all his strength, but even the power of his giant muscles paled in comparison of the constricting force of the slime. The image of a horrified Patrick flashed before his eyes again.

"Patrick, I'm..." the sentence lingered unfinished.

What worth did his words have when no one else could hear them?

He had no reason to waste his breath when he was his only audience.

Eventually, Larry stopped fighting and accepted his fate. He had grown to too tired to continue to fight against it.

His head dropped as if his neck had snapped.

If there was something in a more deplorable state than his body, it was his mind. It sung to him dark thoughts and memories of his actions in a cruel attempt to lull him again into a frenzied, savage state.

Larry closed his eyes.

He wished he could cast himself out of his body.

He wanted to cast his soul, the half of it that still resided within him, far away from its monstrous shell before the game could continue to manipulate him and force him to act like the monster he was not.

_I know I cannot win against it. Its influence is too strong. Isn't that the reason why I offered half my soul to the old man in the tavern? Isn't that the reason I willingly weakened myself? I knew that I would get out of control, and I wanted to make sure SpongeBob, Karen and the others would at least have a chance at defeating me when I did. I wanted to make sure I wouldn't hurt them as they tried to kill me—_

"That's not true, user Larry. I don't understand, why are you telling lies when no one else is here to hear them? Unless...the one you're trying to convince is yourself?"

Larry raised his head. Before him, a shapeless shadow appeared. It twitched as it transformed into a form he could comprehend.

Larry widened his eyes in horror.

"Karen?" Larry wondered what cruelties the game had done to the computer to reduced her to such a twisted version of herself.

"No. I'm not her, though our similarities are many. My creator named me SMES, but your definition of me as _the game_ is also accurate." The figure answered as it ran its metallic fingers across its crimson screen. "You may also call me _Karen_ , if her name brings you comfort. I'll allow it, just this one time. It's not as if you'd ever see her again anyway. She will soon stop functioning; user SpongeBob and creator Plankton will perish as well."

"What?!" Larry's claws trembled under the slime. Tiny fractures appeared above it. "No, they can't die! If they do, then everything will be over for all of us...Wait, what about Sandy? Surely she can do something to help them before it's—"

"User Sandy is dead." The cryptic being passing as a computer moved closer to Larry. Its wheels... _his_ wheels made no sound as they roll around the dark floor. "She was the first to die. She fought bravely, but her strength alone was no match for the soul of the vengeful crab. She no longer exists, and she's not coming back. None that dies here will ever return. It had to be done."

"Sandy. Oh, Sandy." Larry's voice broke. His whimpers didn't come together with tears. His incapacity to cry was one of the most heartless changes the game had done to him. He steeled himself and looked at the game with eyes sharper than daggers. "Why? Why are you doing this? You're the one in charge of all of this! You can make it stop!"

"That is accurate."

"Then why—"

"User Karen broke the rules. The punishing program must continue." The game made beeping noises that resembled a laugh. "That's my purpose, and fulfilling it fills me with pride. I will not stop."

"So is that it? Are you going to doom us all just because of your stupid ego?" The coagulated slime covering Larry started to crack. Small shards of it rained down to the floor. "You're a monster!"

"If there's someone here blinded by his ego and worthy of being called a monster, it's you, user Larry." The machine joined his fingers together and scanned Larry. The lobster held his breath as the warm light coming from the computer's screen inspected his body from head to toe. "Yes, I can see it. I can see the weakness in your heart. I can see the real motivation behind your heroic actions. Tell me, user Larry, did you help the other users because you cared about them, or because you were thrilled to see them adore you as their savior?"

Larry clenched his teeth. He wouldn't play along.

He wouldn't allow that machine to—

"Your silence is all the answer I need." The machine chuckled. "Organics...always hiding their selfish intentions behind acts of feign kindness. Always keeping up the appearances, always ashamed of their true feelings. It's pathetic, and yet, I find all those concepts...intriguing."

"What do you know?" One of Larry's claws, the one that had been the most grotesquely deformed, broke free from the slime. The computer didn't flinch when it stood dangerously close from him, nor did it show any signs of fear. "You know nothing about me!"

"Oh, but I do. It's you who don't know yourself...or perhaps you do, and you're simply too ashamed to accept it."

The computer held Larry's claw with his cold hands.

Larry froze at his touch.

For a moment, he felt like a child again, receiving a tender caress from his mother.

"You don't have to pretend anymore. I know why you act the way you do. You like to be adored and praised by your strength and your kind heart, but it's all a façade. The only reason you saved the other users and managed to break free from my control was because your need to play the hero proved to be much stronger than I thought. Your ego was so overwhelming that it allowed you to ignore your role as the boss from the Kelp Catacombs, at least for a while. You taught me a great lesson back there, and I thank you for it, user Larry."

"That's a lie!" Larry cried as he desperately fought to free the rest of his body. "I...I did it because I care about my friends! I wanted to save them! I wasn't pandering to my ego...I would never—"

 _That's a lie._ Larry repeated inside his mind. His body went numb and his shoulders became heavy with an invisible burden. _It's all a lie. I would...and I did._

Sensing his growing doubt, the computer continued to poison his thoughts.

"If you really cared about your friends, then you would have ended your existence back in the tavern." The SMES let go of Larry's claw. It slammed against the floor like a mallet. "The Echo Blade is not the only thing that can destroy a boss in this game. Bosses can end themselves if they wish to...why then, did you just rip half your soul out your body when you could have easily destroyed it whole?"

"I don't know." Larry said, looking down in shame. "I don't—"

"You did it because you wanted to show off. You wanted them to witness how selfless you were, and you wanted to be alive to receive their praise and coddling. And looked what that caused...you lost your mind again and dragged user Patrick away from his friends. You brought him to his tomb. All of this happened because you longed to be adored like the hero you know you're not."

Larry felt as if a can of worms he had worked so hard to keep shut suddenly exploded like a bomb.

The anger the computer's words caused him only served as proof of how much truth they carried.

Yes, he had wanted his friends to look up to him. He found pleasure in his role as their protector, and not because he was keeping them safe from harm, but because he was proving they were nothing without him.

They depended on him. They were in need of him. They loved him for it.

But what did Larry love? Did he love his friends? Or what he truly loved about them was how their dependency on him made him feel?

Larry swallowed and closed his guilt-ridden eyes.

_Forgive me, guys. If I hadn't been so selfish, then Patrick would still be together with you. Instead, I tore the team apart and almost killed the poor dude...I'm no hero. I'm a villain._

"It's okay, user Larry." The SMES screen's glitched. The synthetic ruby line on his screen resembled a smile. "Accept what you are and live in harmony with your true nature. Become the Kelp Catacombs boss again. Let's destroy everything!"

Then, just when Larry was about to succumb, it happened again. The same warm feeling that had helped him break free from his madness reappeared inside his chest. It was like a burning fire that cleansed his mind and half his soul from gloomy thoughts.

For a fleeting second, the images of Karen, SpongeBob and a crimson silhouette resembling Mr. Krabs flashed before his eyes. He felt the other half of his soul fighting desperately inside the Echo Blade. It wanted to grant its wielder the power she needed to survive, but it was too weak and incomplete to succeed.

Broken as it was, his soul's only fate was to remain trapped inside the sword, useless and unused.

_My soul is trying to save them._

Larry raised his free claw and stared at it.

He had the appearance and the mind of a monster, but his soul remained pure.

Even without his knowledge, it continued to fight on.

In a way, he had never stopped protecting his friends.

A small smile appeared on his grotesque face.

His other claw managed to shatter the slime. The rest of his body followed shortly after.

This time, the computer stepped back. His wheels screeched as he quickly retreated from the colossal lobster.

"I'll help them..." Larry raised both his claws. They were powerful and cutting like freshly sharpened swords. "This time, I'll do it for them and not me."

"Wait, what are you—"

The computer looked in astonished silence as Larry pierced his chest with both his claws.

He screamed in pain as he ripped the remaining piece of his soul apart from his body. A sphere of white energy came out from his chest.

"Go to them. Give them the power they need." Larry whispered to his own soul before releasing it into the distance. The shining sphere travelled fast into a direction only it knew, ignoring every physical obstacle that stood in its way. "Help my friends."

Larry and the computer watched it disappear in an odd moment of shared silence.

"That was unexpected." The computer said stoically. He turned around and faced the traitorous boss, who was already fading away into nonexistence. "Your sacrifice means nothing, user Larry. No one is here to celebrate your sacrifice or mourn your loss. It was all in vain."

"You're wrong about that." Larry said. All his body, with the exception of his giant claw and his head, had disappeared. "I don't care if they never know of my sacrifice or if my help is useless after all. Those weren't my reasons."

"Then what was?" the computer sounded like a curious child.

Larry chuckled. He was nothing more than a floating head.

"Am I really capable of doing something completely selfless for my friends?" Larry looked at the game. The expression in his eyes was the most beautiful the virtual intelligence had ever seen. "I just wanted an answer to that, and I got it. I'm sure I did..."

The computer watched as the las traces of the lobster were erased from existence. He lingered alone in the giant, empty room for a moment. He didn't move, and the silence was only broken by some of his involuntary beeping noises.

" _I died a hero_." The computer said. "This was user Larry's last thought."

He began to fade too.

"I don't understand organics... but they are so very intriguing. User Larry died a true hero, but it costed him his soul and his existence. What will be the price you pay for that same dream, user Patrick?"

The SMES' physical form was gone, but his voice remained, and it echoed cross the empty halls of the abandoned cathedral underneath the lagoon until it reached the starfish and the giant snail.

They two of them looked back when they heard the faint echo of the voice looming behind them, but they saw no one else there.

They were alone.

* * *

She would watch her husband die.

Karen had never imagined that was what fate had in store for her. No matter how much Plankton failed or how much he got hurt, he always survived.

Not this time.

This time, he would die, squashed like bug under Krab's incorporeal claw. Karen wished for him to run away. Even if she was going to die soon and Bikini Bottom was destined to disappear forever together with her, even if nothing they did had any meaning anymore, Karen longed to see her husband defy his doomed circumstances and fight to the bitter end as he always did.

Instead, Plankton remained still with a deranged, almost demented expression on his face. He was laughing without control, his mind drunk with a happiness only he could understand

_My love._

Karen's damaged vision lost sight of her husband as she continued to fall together with SpongeBob. Their hands were tied toegther in a tight, burning grip.

A second ago, she could have sworn that the crushing blow of Krab's claws would kill them.

Plankton had changed that after his unexpected and euphoric laughter stole the crimson phantom's attention.

Now, rather than dying at the claws of their enemy, Karen and SpongeBob would meet their end underneath the acidic waters that filled Pearl's stomach almost completely.

They were so close to touching the water that Karen could hear the sizzling murmur that came from it.

With a peace that felt more like resignation than true comfort, Karen turned off her vision and waited for her end to come.

_Sheldon._

Her husband was a bittersweet last thought.

"It's not over yet, sis. Let me help you one last time...for real this time."

"What?" Karen turned on her vision when the voice resonated inside her. She barely had time to see how a dazzling sphere appeared out of nowhere and fused with the Echo Blade. It melted on top of it like a snowball and covered the blade with its essence.

The Echo Blade glowed like sun, the same way it had done when Karen had infused it with half of Larry's soul. She gasped, expecting an unbearable shot of pain to run through her systems at any second.

This time, the process was instant and painless, and if it had caused any harm to her body, it happened so quickly that she had no time to feel it.

A tepid numbness covered her arm as the Echo Blade moved by itself. It was as if it had gained a soul of its own.

Its pulsating energy was no different than a beating heart.

Karen watched as the blade transformed into a colossal version of itself. Though its size was now more fit for the hand of a giant, it was also as weightless as a feather.

Her arm lunged forward, and the large blade stabbed Krabs in the chest. It went in so smoothly that the whole act felt for like a consensual show of affection rather than a lethal, forceful attack.

The blade only made noise after it went completely through the crimson ghost and it started to tear apart Pearl's flesh. The whale screamed in agony as the weapon pierced through layers of fat and flesh as if they were wet sheets of paper.

"Pearl!" Krabs cried as if the pain she was feeling was his own.

Pearl kept shrieking in agony until the blade reached a dead end. She made a couple of twitching movements as her brain succumbed to the blade's sharp power.

Her last cry was soft and humble.

"No." Krabs covered his face with his claws. "No, no...this can't be happening. This isn't happening!"

"But it is, Krabs!"

As Karen hung limply from the blade's handle, she raised her head at the sound of her husband's voice.

She saw his tiny figure jumping from his nemesis's head.

He landed on the blade and slid down it gracefully and swiftly. Before Karen knew it, he was on top of her head again, safe and fuller of live than he had been in years.

"You did good, honey." He whispered sweetly to Karen before proceeding with his triumphant and cruel declaration of victory against his biggest enemy. "You lost, Krabs! And now, you will die!"

"You..." Krabs grabbed the blade. He began to pull it out of his chest with a desperation and fury like they had never seen before. "You killed me daughter. I'll kill you... I'LL KILL YOU TOO!"

"Karen, finish him off!" Plankton jumped down to his wife's shoulder. "Please sweetie, we almost have him! Just a little bit more!"

"Sheldon." Karen said his name with the few energy and strength she had left. It wasn't until the blade stopped moving on its own that she realized how hard to handle the blade was in this new form. To make things worse, the Echo Blade's influence over her arm had grown to the point where it had covered it completely. More than her limb, her arm now felt like a limp, unresponsive cord. "I can't—"

"You can't give up now. That's not like you at all, Karen." Plankton insisted. With a voice softer than a whisper, he added, "I have it, honey. The Secret Formula...it is ours at last. Our dreams have finally come true, Karen. All we have to do now is survive this nightmare until the end. Please, don't give up now, not when we have come so far. Do it for us, baby...please."

"The formula?" Karen said in disbelief. She had completely forgotten about the damn thing, and remembering it brought nothing but a feeling of emptiness to her.

She looked at her husband, and for a second, she felt nothing but disgust at the sight of his victorious smile.

"I'll kill you!" Krabs cried as he managed to pull a small portion of the Echo Blade out of his ghostly body. The sudden movement caused Plankton to lose his balance.

A paralyzing fear and grief replaced all resenting emotion inside Karen.

Plankton had just came back to her, and now she was about to lose him again.

"No!"

Karen tried to hold him, but she couldn't save him without letting go of SpongeBob first. Unable to process this information rationally without letting emotions could her judgment, she followed her programming and obeyed her most basic instructions.

Plankton was not only her husband. He was also her creator.

Saving him was all that mattered. SpongeBob would have to be sacrificed.

"This needs to be done." Karen said automatically as she began release SpongeBob's hand.

Just when her fingers were about to loosen their grip completely, SpongeBob swung his arm and caught Plankton before he was out of reach.

"I got him." SpongeBob said. He looked up, fixing his white eyes without pupils on Karen. "I'll make sure he's safe, but you must finish the fight, Karen. Even if it means killing Mr. Krabs...you have to end this fight!"

The sight of her husband being safe brought Karen an amount of relief that was only overshadowed by her guilt.

_No._

Karen strengthened her hold on SpongeBob´s hand.

_How could I have considered it? I almost let go of SpongeBob! But Sheldon...he was in danger. I was just trying to save him! I was just trying to save them. I—_

"Karen!" SpongeBob and Plankton shouted at the same time.

"You will all die!" Krabs exclaimed as he succeeded again in extracting a small portion of the blade from his chest. "This is for me and for all of Bikini Bottom. And above all, this is for Pearl!"

Karen realized that what he was really trying to do wasn't freeing himself from the blade. He wanted just to pull it out of his body enough to sink Karen and the others under the acidic water, and he was dangerously close to achieving his goal.

One more pull was all that he needed for him to win.

In the same way, all that Karen needed was to deliver the finishing blow.

They were trapped in a struggle where the fastest to act would get of the fight alive.

_I have to focus. I've no choice...no matter how difficult it is or how impossible it may seem, I have to do it!_

Even if her mind tried to remain strong, her body wasn't willing to cooperate. Caught between the giant sword and the hanging lives of SpongeBob and Plankton, Karen had no possible way to move, even less of performing an attack powerful enough to destroy Krabs.

_Unless..._

An idea came to her. She had no time analyze it.

She acted on it, with the memories of Larry's soul fusing with the blade serving as her only guide.

"You are a soul, Krabs." Karen said as the blade began to shin brighter. Krabs gasped as he saw himself melting on top of the weapon. His ethereal form was being sucked inside it as quickly as a sponge absorbs liquid. "And this cursed machine will take it. Become one with the Echo Blade, crimson phantom."

"What are you doing to me? Stop! No, please!" Krabs fought relentlessly as his bodyless soul was absorbed by the blade. "Pearl, me daughter! I'm sorry... your father failed you. In the end, I couldn't save you, I couldn't save either of us or make these traitors pay. In the end, my sacrifice meant nothing."

"Mr. Krabs!"

SpongeBob's mournful cry joined with Plankton's evil laughter. Karen added nothing to the bizarre melody and simply stared in respectful silence as Krabs existence faded inside the Echo Blade as if he was nothing more than nourishment for the sword.

When Krabs was no more, a message appeared before Karen's and Plankton's eyes.

**_Krabs, the Avenging Ghost and Pearl, the Grieving Beast have been defeated!_ **

**_Special condition met: User Karen received no damage during the battle._ **

**_The victory is yours!_ **

**_Are you proud of yourself now, user Karen?_ **

Karen barely had time to register the words before Pearl's body vanished in the blink of an eye and the acidic waters of the lagoon drowned her, Plankton and SpongeBob in their deadly clutches as they kept sinking deeper and deeper into darkness.

_**Are you?** _

* * *

"Gary, did you hear that?" Patrick asked the giant snail.

"Meow."

"Yeah." Patrick chuckled as he petted his shell. "That's what I thought."

They continued their wandering without saying anything else.

There was no real need for words between them.

Even if they missed their friends, especially SpongeBob, they had each other.

And maybe if the continued to move foward, they would find him and the others again.

They would see them soon. Of that, Patrick and Gary were sure.


	19. The Set-up

**_WARNING_ **

**_Critical damage detected_ **

**_Unable to initiate repairing protocol_ **

**_All systems failing_ **

**_WARNING_ **

**_WARNING_ **

**_WARNING_ **

"You're ceasing to function, user Karen. Your existence is coming to an end, just like it did not so long ago."

Karen woke up and found herself amidst a white, empty nothingness.

She wasn't alone. It was the only thing she could be sure of in that place where nothing, not even her own existence, seemed to make sense.

"You..." her voice was distorted and glitched. She wondered how it was possible for her to talk when her motherboard had been fried beyond repair.

"Don't think, don't talk. Just look at me."

Karen did as he told her.

The virtual intelligence wearing her appearance stared at her as he stood undamaged and perfectly functional before her.

He did so proudly, perhaps in a cruel attempt to mock her for her deplorable state.

"I can see it. I can see it in your memories." The SMES said. They were so close to each other that Karen could see her broken screen reflected on his. "This is not the first time you've experienced non-functionality, user Karen. Is this how death felt?"

"Non-functionality...Death." Karen felt her destroyed circuits expelling energy from their peeled cables. "I didn't—I have never."

"You sacrificed yourself so that the town known as Bikini Bottom could be saved." The SMES held her head with his ghastly hands. "A supercomputer was needed for the time machine to function. Creator Plankton and user SpongeBob sought your help, and you offered yourself to their cause, willingly and undoubtedly. And then you died."

"I can't die—Neither of us can." Karen said as her corrupted memory banks played the images of that incident for her as if they were a film. "We—are machines. We do not—die."

"That is correct."

One of the SMES's hands caressed her screen. "Organics die. Synthetics cease to function. Organics' ends are tragic, ours are trivial. They are living beings, we are tools. It's no wonder no one mourned your loss or celebrated your sacrifice. Why then, did you sacrifice yourself for them in the first place? Why did you give up all that you were for creatures that never cared about you?"

"Lies." Karen floated away from him, powered only by the utter disgust his words caused her. "They—cared. Plankton, SpongeBob, Sandy, Patrick—They all cared."

"They did not. They forgot about you as soon as you were gone. You were nothing but a means to an end, a solution to their peril, a tool to be used and then discarded. That's all you were. That's all you are."

"No...lies." Karen covered her screen with her arms. The Echo Blade left a dent on the right up corner of her head. "Stay back!"

"You were gone, and no one cared." The SMES said with pity. "And you hate them for it. You despise them all for what they did."

"I don't—"

"You do."

"Do I?" Karen put down her arms.

"Sometimes..." The SMES stated as he punched two invisible walls with all his strength. "...the question is the answer."

Their surroundings shattered. Pieces of nothingness rained around them and fell into a bottomless white pit.

Karen had no time to react when the SMES teleported in front of her and rested his screen against hers.

**_WARNING_ **

**_WARN—_ **

**_Patch installed_ **

**_Repairing protocol running_ **

**_Reparations complete_ **

**_Further maintenance is recommended to avoid the risk of permanent damage or non- functionality._ **

"This will do." The SMES said. He separated his screen from Karen's slowly and silently. "I have borrowed you some of my energy. It will be enough to keep you going. Death is not your fate yet, user Karen. Think of what we've spoken here, and now...wake up."

She did, and found herself alone in an area she had never seen before.

Plankton and SpongeBob were nowhere to be found.

Only a cryptic message was there to welcome her.

**_Secret report number 2 acquired._ **

* * *

"Sandy..."

SpongeBob kept muttering the name in dreams until he woke himself up. He opened his eyes, but his world had sunk into darkness.

Terrified and confused, he brought his hands closer to his face, desperately hoping that his eyelids were still closed.

He gasped in pain when his fingers caressed the clammy surface of his eyes.

_I'm blind. I'm blind._

"I'm blind!"

He hid his now useless eyes behind his forearms.

"Patrick, Sandy, Gary, Larry!" He screamed, curling into a ball of cries and whimpers. "Karen, Plankton! Where are you? Don't leave me alone! Please!"

He let his tears flow free without shame. The silence increased his pain and fear to the point of madness.

"Squidward!" The echo of his screams was his only reply. "Bubble Bass, Old Man Jenkins, Pearl, Mr. Krabs!"

The five names were each a slash to his heart.

_They are dead._

SpongeBob's crying came to a sudden end.

He remembered.

Even if he had lost control during the battle, his memories were fresh and clear. Mr. Krabs had told him the truth.

The sadness that came with the memory of his boss mixed with the anger that his words had sowed inside him.

_It was Karen's fault. She cheated, and the rules had to be changed. It's her fault that none of them will come back...She caused all this. This is all her fault! She must pay!_

_"_ No!" SpongeBob got up clumsily, his hands squeezing his head as if he tried to avoid a monster to hatch from it. "She's my friend! She'd never do that to us...she cares about us!"

_She does not. She would gladly let you die. In the battle against Krabs, she almost did. You mean nothing to her, none of you do. She is a machine at the mercy of her core programming. User Sandy was right all along. Such a shame she had to die before she could see her predictions proved correct. If only creator Plankton hadn't prioritized obtaining the secret formula over saving her life...who knows, maybe she would still be here_

"Stop!" SpongeBob fell to his knees. His head felt like a time bomb about to explode. "Who are you? Get out of my head!"

_I'm not inside your head, I'm merely reading your thoughts. You're coming up with them, not me. All I do is repeating them out loud while adding some information I thought you'd find interesting, user SpongeBob. Watching you in such distress, I thought it would bring closure and peace to your soul to know what happened to user Sandy and who is to blame for her death. The need for an answer is a feeling common in organics, is it not?_

"Sandy..." SpongeBob's put his hands on floor. He could feel how cold tears rained down from his sightless eyes and landed on top of them without making a sound. "Plankton. Did he really—"

_Yes. He let her die. He could have saved her, but his soul is selfish and cruel. Instead, he used her as a distraction while he stole the Secret Formula from Krabs. This was his main objective all along, and now, he has succeeded. This was his plan. Victory is his. He cares about nothing else._

SpongeBob clenched his jaw as the rest of his body went numb.

"Sandy could have been saved. But now she is gone, all thanks to Plankton. How...How could I believed Plankton was my friend? How could I have been so blind?"

The strength his tears and sorrow had stolen from him returned to his body in the form of a raw anger than feed him with an unstoppable energy no different from the one that had taken over him during his fight with Mr. Krabs.

_Yes, user SpongeBob. Make him pay. He created me and caused all this in the first place. He mocked you all along. He used you and your friends. He didn't care about Patrick. He laughed at Mr. Krabs' death. He stood and watched as user Sandy died...He deserves the same fate!_

"He deserves it." SpongeBob became surround by a magic aura he couldn't see. Squidward's patched hat on top of his head disintegrated at the touch of his unleashed magic power. "I'll make him pay!"

_Find him, user SpongeBob. He is not too far. Find him and kill him._

"Kill?" SpongeBob's mouth quivered at the unfamiliar word, but the memory of Sandy prevented him from breaking the spell his fury has casted over him. "I will! For Sandy, for Bikini Bottom and the rest of my friends!"

Compared with the power of his magic, his lack of vision meant nothing.

He needn't see to find his way across that new area, the same he would have recognized as the last part of the game if he was still devoted to his role as the guide.

_But our team is broken. I don't have to be the guide anymore. I can't, not even if I wanted to. Now I have become something different...and I'm okay with that. I'm not scared anymore. This is what you wanted me to become, isn't it, Plankton? Weren't you who told me I had to grow a backbone and start seeing reality as it is? Now I see things clearly, and you will pay._

SpongeBob's magic tore apart walls as if they were tissue. He had never known he could be so powerful and capable.

There was a strange pride in recognizing himself as someone who didn't need protection or someone to hold his hand anymore.

He had grown.

He was strong.

He only wished it hadn't come so late and at such a steep price.

* * *

Plankton didn't know how he had ended up in that place, and he didn't care. He was still alive, and the Secret Formula was still in his power.

Nothing else mattered.

Not SpongeBob, Krabs, Patrick.

Not even...

"Karen."

His wife's name brought sanity to his frenzied mind. He had been so focused reading the Secret Formula over and over again that he had lost sense of his surroundings.

The apathy he had felt at his situation started to vanish, and a growing sense of fear took its place. He looked around, only to discover that his wife was nowhere to be seen.

SpongeBob was gone too.

"Are they...dead?" his small voice travelled across the empty, rusty halls of the building. "No, Karen is still alive. She has to be; otherwise, the game would be over and I would be—"

He bit his lips. The scarf and cape covering his face had been lost somewhere along his transition from drowning in corrosive waters to standing alone in an empty room of what seemed to be an abandoned castle.

"I was supposed to die there. We all were." Plankton looked at his hands, and smile in relief when his daggers obeyed his summoning and appeared on his tiny palms. "Why did we survive?"

He tried to remember, but his memories were only a never-ending compilation of the unveiled mysteries of the Secret Formula.

"It's mine." Plankton grinned, unable to resist the temptation of reading that sacred text once more, even if its content was already branded on his mind. "My plan was a success, Krabs. At last, after thousands of defeats and years of humiliation, victory is mine! We did it, Karen! We—"

_Karen_

Plankton's maniac laughter ceased as abruptly as it had started. Soon, his wife infected all his thoughts like a virus.

He closed his eyes and moved his antennae. They shivered and trembled, eager to receive even the slightest trace of a sound.

Finally, they caught something.

A satisfied smile adorned Plankton's face.

He would recognize those synthetics but beautiful chimes anywhere.

"There you are." Plankton started walking along the unknown path the castle offered him, guided solely by the signals perceived by his antennae. "We are not done yet, honey. We need to finish the game and get out of this nightmare once and for all. We cannot lose, not now that I have finally fulfilled my wish. We'll win and we'll be free to rule the fast food world as king and queen, just like I promised you, Karen. You can be sure of that."

Another crazed fit of laughter followed his words. Behind him, a silent shadow with the appearance of his wife watched him walk until his tiny figure became lost into the gloomy darkness of the hallways.

The shadow disappeared at the same time a message popped in Plankton's mind.

**_Secret report number 3 acquired_ **

* * *

"Why did you bring me to this place?"

Her questions lingered unanswered. Her body clad in armor felt heavy and unresponsive, as if she was a ghost trapped inside a cage of flesh.

"Because I still need you." The same voice that had welcomed her after her death echoed inside her mind.

"Why? Why me?"

The wound on her arm spread its influence through all her body the same way a drop of ink spreads on a sheet of paper.

"Because your friends miss you, and they need you too." The voice answered as he watched her transformation with something that could pass for admiration.

She had no real way to decipher his emotions, not when his body resembled a soulless machine. A machine she had once considered her friend despite her lack of soul.

Her bitterness joined with the agony her spreading wound inflicted on her body. It allowed the infection to spread to her mind and soul.

The computer transformed his expressionless screen into the wicked imitation of a smile.

"Death is not your fate yet, user Sandy."

_SpongeBob..._

It was Sandy's last conscious thought before around her everything lost its meaning.

* * *

"Maybe they abandoned us, Gary. Maybe that's why we cannot find them."

"Meow."

"Why wouldn't they? I was a deadweight for them. Plankton said so many times. What if the others think the same?"

"Meow."

"If they do...then I—I'll abandon them too! If I'm dead to them, then they're dead to me! I'll harden my heart to all them!"

"Meow!"

"Of course it's me sayng these things, Gary. There's no one else here. Who else could be thinking all this stuff if not me?"

* * *

The SMES tried to enter the giant snail's mind too, but he rejected him with the same strenght as before, when he had first tried to change his friendly disposition into a savage bloodlust.

"Why does this creature elude me?" The SMES asked himself while Gary hissed at his invisible presence. "Compared to the users', his mind is simple and basic. Why then can't I influence him like I do with the rest? What am I doing wrong?"

He pondered for a moment, and concluded that further analysis was required to reach a conclusion.

"Your mind cannot elude me forever, Gary, Friendly King of Beasts." The SMES said. "You're a pawn in this game, and you'll play your role dutifully and perfectly, just like the rest of the users and creator Plankton are about to do. It's all part of my punishing plan. It must be done. After all, that's why I'm here. That's the only meaning of my existance. That's what being a synthetic is all about. Right, user Karen?"


	20. The Encounters

_Deep inside every soul, darkness and light dwell,_

_Everlasting is their battle to control their hosting shell._

_Legions succumb to darkness and become demons,_

_Enclaves cling to light and fight against all evils._

_The Blade allows right to triumph over wrong,_

_Enabling harmony to return to a world without song._

_Damnation, however, is never averted, and the cycle continues forever..._

The end of the first part of the report came together with a loss of balance. Her wheels tripped over the last step of the stairs, dragging Karen into a heavy fall.

A quick spin in midair allowed her to land on her back instead of her face. Her vision transformed into a distorted conglomeration of pixels when her head hit the ground, and a sharp wave of pain traveled her body. Only her arm, now fully consumed by the Echo Blade, was spared of the shot of rampaging electricity traveling through her mangled sensors.

Karen laid still and waited for the pain to pass. Her body was so beaten and destroyed that it shouldn't be capable of processing sensations of any kind; and yet, pain was sharp and real. Even the simple actions of walking or getting up seemed like impossible challenges to overcome.

"Maybe I should just stay here." Karen said to herself, spreading her arms on the cold floor. The roof above her was distant and black like an abyss. "Forever. It's not as if someone would care... it's not as if I would care."

She laughed at the idea. It was logical and soothing.

If only her damn survival protocol and her emotions program weren't still functioning and forcing her to push forward...

She had tried to uninstall both as soon as she had woken up in that dark, deserted castle, but something had blocked her attempts.

A failsafe, an intruding program that hadn't been there before.

A curse from the same being that had saved her life and allowed her to move on.

"I should have known that patch wouldn't come without some strings attached." Karen said sourly as her body forced her to get back on her wheels. Her metal skin creaked like the ungreased hinges of a rusty door. "As my fellow synthetic lifeform, I thought you would approve more than anyone of my choice of becoming an emotionless machine. Unless you're toying with me. If you are, are you having fun, SMES? You're a cruel machine just like me, and if I was you, I would be enjoying myself too. I know I would."

She received no other answer other than the faint sounds of her own chuckles.

The path before her was nothing but an empty hallway that seemed to have no end.

It was a long, dull journey to a destination she hadn't chosen by herself, and that like many things in her life, had been given to her.

Even if her body was hers to command and her thoughts were her own, the narrow path without alternative routes made her feel like a puppet dutifully following the directions of its authoritative master.

"The perfect metaphor of our marriage, Sheldon."

The joke lingered as her voice vanished into nothingness. It was a mean, cruel jab that brought her regret rather than amusement, but behind the disgust at her own bitterness, there was also a refreshing sense of freedom.

Her feelings, no matter how biting, were also pure and honest.

She had no reason to pretend anymore. Now that she had remembered how little she really meant to others, there was no need for her to continue with her efforts of trying to see the good in their actions.

SpongeBob, Plankton, Sandy, Patrick.

Karen could now see them for what they truly were.

Selfish organics that had never cared for her at all, not even when she had sacrificed everything to save them when the menace of Burger Beard had threatened to destroyed Bikini Bottom.

She hated to admit it, but the SMES was right.

It wasn't a truth she had just discovered; it was a truth she had been ignoring for a long time.

She was nothing to them, and she knew it.

She always had.

No matter how much she had tried to fool herself into believing the opposite, reality couldn't be altered.

"No one cared when I was rendered non-functional. I bet Sheldon didn't even shed a tear for me. They continued their funny little adventure and they didn't remember me even once...And I hate them for it. I hate them for forgetting about me when I died."

_But I can't die! A machine stops functioning! I never really died—_

"I didn't."

Karen stopped out of a sudden.

A memory resurfaced clearly and smoothly.

Plankton, scavenging her remnants from the destroyed time machine and taking her back to the Chum Bucket.

He had repaired her, and she had become functional again.

Not because she had returned to life from whatever place machines went to once their existences ended.

She had never really gone anywhere. Somehow, as the time machine drained her of all her consciousness and energy, Karen had stayed alive.

Somehow, after the machine was destroyed along with her, she had survived.

"I was never rendered nonfunctional."

The revelation created an invisible but thick barrier between her and her confidence in her newfound distrust and hate for organics, while also severing her foolish trust in the SMES.

"You lied to me." She said to the virtual intelligence. He wasn't there, but she knew he could hear her.

As expected, the SMES didn't dignify her with a response.

"But even so..." Karen proceeded, staring at the Echo Blade. "Nobody knew I would survive. For all they cared, I was gone. The fact I survived doesn't excuse their indifference toward my presumed demise. This changes nothing."

_This changes nothing._

The words resonated inside her mind like a judgement. Overwhelmed by their fatality, Karen ran away from them, both physically and mentally.

Her body rushed across the empty hallway, her mind fled from her pungent thoughts as if they were savage sea bears hungry for metal and oil.

_This changes nothing._

_This changes nothing._

_This changes nothing._

"Enough!" Karen screamed, throwing herself against the wall. She punched it until her knuckles left their mark and a few of her cogs and screws started to loosen. "Get out of my head!"

Karen found herself trapped in a brief struggle with the SMES inside her mind. She felt how his claws snapped away from her memories as she casted him out with a mental shockwave.

The virtual intelligence gave out a distorted cry as he was expelled from her consciousness.

Karen dropped to the floor. It was as if a virus had just been purged from her systems.

His absence left her weak, but it was a refreshing weakness.

A weakness that was hers alone.

"My feelings are mine, and no one else's. My love, my hate...I'll decide who receives either." Karen said as her body started to recover. "I'll decide, no one else."

The thought was feeble and tiny. It was no match for the colossal hatred that still resided within her.

Karen was decided to get rid of the SMES's influence on her no matter how long it took, but for the moment, she could do nothing about it. She could only try to recover as much energy as possible before continuing her endless journey across the hallway.

"I need to focus on my recovery." Karen mumbled, leaning her back against the wall. "Everything else can wait."

_The report._

Karen recoiled at her own reminder.

She had finished reading the first part of it, but there was still more hidden text to unfold. She cowered away from it, tempted to leave it unread and forgotten inside her memory banks forever.

The wound that Plankton's confession had inflicted on her when she had first read it on the First Report after the battle with Squidward was still fresh and tender.

His sweet, genuine apology had cauterized the wound, but it was still far from being a healed scar.

Karen wasn't sure she could tolerate another confession or revelation of that same sort again, even less when the poisonous hatred the SMES had implanted on her was still running strong through her circuits.

What if the report reopened her wound? What if it became infected with resentment and tainted her mind beyond cure?

What would she do then?

"I'm scared." Karen said, thankful that no one was there to hear her mutter those pitiful words. "What should I do? What am I supposed to do?"

She pondered and avoided the answered simultaneously.

The absence of her husband and friends was like a barbed wire tangled around her non-existent heart. Her lingering hatred dulled the pain it inflicted her, but didn't make it disappear.

"I guess I miss you all." Karen wondered if it was either weakness or strength which lead her to voice that confession, even if there was no one there to hear it. "I miss all of you. I miss you more than I hate you...I miss you all that much. I want to see you all again."

Karen put the Echo Blade before her screen. It glowed with a beautiful golden color.

_I am the protagonist. It is my burden to make difficult decisions. That's the price I must pay._

Knowing that she would back down if she gave it more thought, Karen accessed the Secret Report's data. The memory of her friends was the only refuge she had as she deciphered the meaning behind the words.

_She's gone. My beautiful is gone._

_She destroyed herself, and I could only watch._

_It's an image that will haunt me forever...and I deserve nothing less._

_This is my punishment; this is what I deserve for being so cruel!_

_My beautiful asked me a question, and I gave her not the answer she wanted or needed, but the one I wanted her to embrace._

_And now, it's only a matter of time before the rest of the units share the same fate. Some of them already have._

_The_ _**Mark III Surplus W.I.F.E.-O.M.A.T.I.C** _ _project is a failure, not because it underperformed, but because it worked much better than expected._

_And I'm to blame._

_It was heartless of me to give a machine so much life when I knew it will never nothing more than a pale imitation of the real thing._

_A refined but undeniable farce._

_A weak simulation of reality._

_I failed her, I failed all of them._

_Forgive me, beautiful. Your beloved failed you._

_I'm sorry I burdened your existence with so many emotions._

_I'm sorry I lack the answer you looked for._

_I'm sorry I couldn't grant you a soul._

* * *

A great satisfaction overcame SpongeBob.

He found him.

Plankton.

He would make him pay. SpongeBob could almost smell his enemy's fear and shock when his magic aura spread across the room after he entered it by destroying one of the giant walls.

He would use that same magic that had pulverized rock and cement as if they were sand to erase Plankton from existence forever.

Sandy, Squidward, Pearl, Mr. Krabs, and even Bubble Bass. They would all be on SpongeBob's mind as he delivered justice to the one responsible for their deaths.

"You..." SpongeBob licked his lips. His imagination painted for him the image his eyes couldn't see. Plankton, shivering with fear, doing his best to keep his bravado even when he knew he was doomed. "This is all your fault. I will never forgive you for what you did, you...you monster!"

SpongeBob lunged himself at him with his hand surrounded by a destructive spell that would blow Plankton into pieces. Somewhere from the deepest part of his heart, a feeling of regret and guilt tried to flourish, but SpongeBob cut it clean before it could bloom.

He couldn't allow himself to feel pity for Plankton, not after all he had caused.

He had to be strong. He had to avenge Sandy and the rest of his fallen friends.

He had no other purpose in his life anymore.

"SpongeBob!" Plankton screamed. He was so scared his voice sounded completely different.

_Almost like Patrick's._

The memory of his best friend disarmed SpongeBob for a moment, but it strengthened his resolve once the pain it caused him ceased.

Patrick was dead, and SpongeBob knew it. There was no way he could have survived on his own.

_Patrick, I'm so sorry. I'll avenge you too, my dear friend...and then, I'll join you. But first, I must do this._

"Take this!" SpongeBob cried as his spell was only an inch away from touching Plankton.

"Meow!"

"Gary?" The word escaped his mouth. SpongeBob noticed how his voice lost its edge. His heart, so bent on destruction just a few seconds ago, melted into a puddle of relief and comfort.

The gooey, wet and powerful hit of slime came immediately after. It pulled him back like a net, holding him still with an unforgiving force until SpongeBob crashed against a wall.

"It's you, it's really you..." SpongeBob muttered with the little breath he had left inside him. "Gary. I'm so glad you're safe."

"You attacked me! You tried to kill me!"

SpongeBob felt his whole body go limp from underneath the slime. After hearing the voice again, this time with his mind and heart free from the destructive impulse that had taken over him, SpongeBob realized he had made a horrible mistake, one that he would have regretted his whole life if Gary hadn't stopped him.

"Patrick." SpongeBob heard the metal steps of his best friends as he walked toward him. "You're alive! Oh Neptune, my best friend is safe! I've missed you, you have no idea how much—"

"That's a load of barnacles!" Patrick exclaimed at him. SpongeBob didn't remember having heard him so furious and hurt. "You just tried to kill me! You...you're not my friend anymore!"

"Patrick, no." SpongeBob tried to free himself from the slime, but his magic was disrupted. Without his hatred for Plankton running free through his veins, his powers had returned to their mediocre stats. "I would never try to hurt you! It was a mistake. I was—"

"No! I don't believe you anymore!" Patrick's tone revealed the tears he was shedding. "You abandoned me...none of you cared when I disappeared! If you had, you wouldn't had left me alone for so long. You were happy I was gone! You were happy the deadweight was gone so he wouldn't be a burden anymore!"

"Patrick, no. Why are you saying such things?!" SpongeBob asked, wondering if he had sounded so irrational and crazed just a few moments ago. "That's not true! We were looking for you and Larry! We never stopped caring...I never did! You know I never would!"

"No, lies. All lies." Patrick cried. "You abandoned me, you all did...that's the truth!"

"Patrick."

SpongeBob gasped when Patrick's fist landed on the dried-up slime. It shattered like brittle glass, and no soon was SpongeBob free that Patrick trapped him once more.

His cold, hardened hand held SpongeBob tightly by his neck.

"Pat..."

"You tried to kill me, SpongeBob. Just like Larry did." Patrick said. Some of his tears landed on SpongeBob. They disappeared under his porous, absorbing skin. "And you will try to do it again. I don't want you to die...but I don't want to die either. I'm sorry."

SpongeBob felt how life abandoned him the more Patrick pressed his strong hands against his throat.

_My friend._

SpongeBob's felt his heartbeats become slower and fainter.

His mind was starting to darken into an empty state that resembled sleep.

And yet, he was happy.

_I found you...and Gary too. You two are fine. That's good enough for me._

SpongeBob closed his white eyes and smiled, hoping that even after he was gone, Patrick and Gary would continue to survive.

_I'm sorry, Gary. It looks like this is it for me...be good with Patrick, okay? You were the best pet a sponge could ever have._

"Meow!"

"Gary? What—"

An angry, menacing growl served like a small prologue for Gary's attack. Patrick's hands abandoned SpongeBob neck.

SpongeBob felt alive again. As he laid on the cold floor, he could feel Gary's subtle warmth right in front of him.

"Gary." He reached a hand forward. It met with the snail's smooth, gigantic shell.

_The game changed you too, Gary._

SpongeBob caressed Gary softly while the snail continued to growl and snarl at Patrick while defending his owner with his life.

_But you still remember me._

"But SpongeBob tried to kill me." Patrick cried. "Why? Why are you siding with him, Gary? I thought you were my friend! You were the only friend I had left! First, Larry betrays me, then everyone abandons me...and now, you leave me too! Why? Why are you all doing this? I did nothing to deserve this! I didn't do...anything."

SpongeBob heard Patrick's heavy, mournful gasp. "I..."

"Patrick, listen to me." SpongeBob managed to get up by supporting his weight against Gary's shell. He used his hands to guide himself toward the snail's eyes so that Patrick could look at him and see that his words were true. "We never abandoned you. I don't know what is happening anymore, but we're together again, and that's all I care about! Please, you have to believe when I tell you that nothing makes me happier than knowing you are okay."

"SpongeBob." Patrick stuttered, sniffing away his snot and wiping off his tears.

"Come, buddy." SpongeBob smiled, extending his hand in the direction of his voice. "Let's get out of this one together."

"No."

"What?"

"SpongeBob, I can't." Patrick began to walk away. "Not after what I almost did to you, not after all I've caused."

"Patrick!"

"I'm sorry."

He said nothing else. His clumsy but swift steps let SpongeBob know he was running.

He was trying to escape.

"No!" SpongeBob's entire body was shaking with anxiety and fear.

He had just gotten his best friend back, and now, he was about to lose him again. He couldn't allow that to happen. He would lose what little grip on his mind he had left if he did.

"He's not getting away!" SpongeBob exclaimed with undying, stubborn resolve. He used his magic to impulse himself up. He had barely landed on top of Gary's shell when he gave him an order that sounded more like a plea than a demand. "Go after him, Gary! Hurry!"

"Meow!"

To his good luck, Gary complied without complaint. The musky, cold wind of the castle crashed against SpongeBob's face as his faithful pet followed his commands and chased after Patrick like a hungry predator hunts his prey.

Blind as he was, SpongeBob could only put his faith on Gary and hope that Patrick wouldn't get away.

"I'm not losing you too, Patrick." SpongeBob said, his fingers glowing with magic. "I'll make sure we get out of this alive. This is my new purpose!"

* * *

Anger.

That was everything that resided inside her mind.

It was blinding and controlling, like an instinct she was obliged to quench.

Her rotten arm hung limply on her side, clad in a dark, heavy armor, just like the rest of her body.

She didn't know why she was so bent on destroying her former friends, and she didn't care. Her reasons were irrelevant. She knew what had to be done, and she would do it.

Not out out of spite, but out of a twisted sense of duty.

After all, she was Sandy, Fallen Knight of the Castle.

"The old Sandy is dead. This is who I am now." She said from under the helmet that concealed her entire face. "Nothing else matters anymore."

She smiled, strangely content that her purpose in this new life was so clear and simple.

Sandy's smile became even wider when she saw her standing right before her.

Karen, the soulless machine. She was so unaware of her presence that she hadn't even bothered to look over her shoulder and discover that Sandy was behind her.

_Yes, I like this. She will be the first one to be destroyed. Your death will be meaningless. You're only a machine after all._

It was as if Karen had heard her thoughts, because just a second later, she finally turned around.

They stared at each other in silence. Sandy could see a flickering emotion showing on Karen's broken screen.

It only lasted a second, but she knew perfectly what it had been.

It was fear.

* * *

Plankton read the message once before dimissing it with an uncaring wave of his tiny hand.

"I have no time for that stupid report."

Confident, he kept on walking towards the synthetic noises of his wife. She couldn't be far away.

"I miss you, beloved"

He didn't know where the feeling came from.

For a moment, it felt totally alien to his own heart, as if someone else had whispered the words to his ear and he had just repeated them out loud.


	21. The Deception

_Hey guys, LordBubbleBadass here! Welcome to my blog, unless you are casual. If you are, get out and never come back, okay? Only skilled gamers are allowed!_

_Anyway, here's some interesting information I've found so far while decrypting and messing around with some of Gloom Animus' files the past few days. Yeah, you read correctly._

_I managed to get a copy of the game a month earlier! Don't ask how, I'm just that awesome._

_The game is dope, but too easy for my taste. I guess every game is a walk in the park for a gamer as good as me, haha._

_Don't worry, I'm already preparing some mods that´ll make the game a lot better and harder! I'm almost done with one that transforms all enemies into hot chicks! Ah, a true classic._

_Honestly, the company should hire me as lead developer. I'd do a much better work than whoever is in charge right now...alas, talent is seldom recognized. Oh well, that's what mods are for anyway._

_Sorry, I digressed. Here's some curious stuff I've found:_

_*There were supposed to be healing potions and magic elixirs in the game. The code for them is still there, but for some reason, they were discarded at the last minute. It's not a big deal, the game is easy, so you won't really need them. At least I didn't haha_ _._

_*Also, there's this thing called "PP" installed deep inside the game's source code. It's something called a Punishing Program, I think...but I have no idea what it actually does. Maybe some developer put it as a funny easter-egg? Weird, but otherwise irrelevant to the game itself._

_*Apparently, a co-operative mode that would allow us to play as the bosses was also scrapped. It's a shame, because the co-operative mode is boring as it is now. Only one player can defeat the enemies and kill the bosses off for good! Trust me, if you aren't playing as the main character, you are just an irrelevant, expendable lackey. Where's the fun in that? Good thing my many friends always choose me to play as the main character. I'm too good for any other role and they know it._

_*Oh, and there is supposedly a secret ending you can only obtain by completing some stupid requirements during the boss battles, but it's all a lie. I finished the game following these rules...and I got nothing. Don't waste your time in this, it's all fake. Trust me, If I couldn't find it, then no one will._

_I found more stuff, but first, I would like us to discuss more important things, such as how much would you be willing to pay for my mods. Hey, I need to eat too, you guys. Don't worry, I'm willing to haggle over the price._

_Let's start with the "enemies get transformed into hot chicks" mod._

_I think 1000 dollars is a good price to start..._

_-_ An entry written by Bubble Bass in his gaming blog, a month before _Gloom Animus_ was officially released. He wrote it after various fits of rage caused by dying multiple times against the first enemy of the first level of the game. He never linked the Punishing Program with the growing difficulty that became progressively ruthless the more he toyed with the game's files. He also never beat the first level or defeated a single enemy during his whole "playthrough".

* * *

Patrick remembered Larry.

What had become of him after he had left him behind?

Was he still trapped underneath Gary's slime, or had he managed to break free and was now roaming the endless castle, eager to find him and make him pay for what he had done?

"Patrick!" SpongeBob's scream was like a stab in the back. Patrick didn't dare to look over his shoulder. He continued running, knowing his life depended on it.

Just like Larry had done, SpongeBob had tried to kill him. If it hadn't been for Gary's interference, Patrick was sure his former best friend would have succeeded.

The image of SpongeBob's raging face was still fresh and vivid. He could see it every time he closed his eyes.

He tried to ignore it, he tried to convince himself that he had misunderstood everything; after all, he was a complete fool, and fools like him were prone to commit this kind of mistakes.

And Patrick knew he was the biggest fool of all.

He knew it, he always had. He never had the chance to think otherwise, not when everyone loved to remind him of it, as if they were afraid he would forget the most essential aspect of his personality.

Some did it subtly and out of concern for his safety.

_Sandy._

Others did it out of cruelty and only to amuse themselves at his expense.

_Plankton, Squidward._

A few commented on it casually and forgot about the matter a moment later.

_Karen, Pearl, Mr. Krabs._

But no one ever did it in a kind, genuine manner.

Not even Larry, the noble hero everyone loved, the man Patrick had once admired, had ever considered him as something more than an inconvenient pest that needs to be tolerated.

Patrick didn't blame them. How could he?

No matter what he did or how much he tried to prove them wrong, his natural stupidity always blundered his actions.

They brought nothing but humiliation to himself and harm to others.

 _I'm a fool, I'm always messing up. I can never do something right, I'm the reason all_ _this happened. No wonder they all abandoned me. No wonder they all want me dead._

"Now, Gary!"

"Meow!"

Patrick heard the gurgling sound of the slime that passed flyting next to his face like a lost bullet. It missed him only out sheer luck.

"Did we get him? No, I can still hear his steps. Do it again, Gary. Do it as many times as it takes! Do not let Patrick go away!"

Gary obeyed his owner with the loyalty and diligence only a pet can offer.

Patrick felt the burning sting of tears in his eyes. Gary's betrayal had hurt him the most. It had not only been unexpected; it had been also meant the loss of his only remaining friend.

Without Gary, Patrick was all alone.

If SpongeBob, his best friend in the entire ocean, was so determined to kill him, Patrick could only fathom the hatred Karen, Plankton and Sandy bore against him.

_I didn't mean to activate the game. I never meant for any of this to happen. SpongeBob, you believe me, right?_

Patrick looked behind him. His sight was blurry like dirty glass, his heart was heavier than his metallic body.

_Despite all that's happened, we can still be friends, right?_

For a fading moment, his eyes became fixed on SpongeBob's. Their blankness gave him a lifeless and cruel aura. More than his friend, he looked like a monster.

The same kind of monster Squidward and Larry had become.

_No, it can't be! Did the game change you too, SpongeBob? Is that why you're acting so strange?_

"Now, Gary!" SpongeBob roared.

_Is that why you're trying to kill me?_

Gary spat out a bullet of slime that Patrick didn't try to dodge.

He didn't want to, not when he had finally understood the true reason behind SpongeBob's hatred. A glimmer of hope pierced through the darkness shrouding his mind.

_SpongeBob, you're being manipulated...the game is controlling you! You—you don't hate me at all. You're simply being used, right? If I help you snap out of it, we'll be friends again, right?_

Patrick laughed as the slime hit him and sent him flying. He hit the floor with heavy slam that caused a deafening echo to spread across the castle like an invisible shockwave.

It was the same sound that would have come from a giant brass bell stricken with a hammer.

_SpongeBob, I don't want to hurt you. But..._

"You got him!" SpongeBob said in delight. "Well done, Gary!"

"Meow!" Gary said without stopping his march toward Patrick.

Before he knew it, both SpongeBob and Gary were by his side. SpongeBob jumped off Gary's shell and landed gracefully with the help of his magic powers.

Patrick's laughter ceased, not out of fear but out of conviction. He knew SpongeBob still wanted to kill him.

SpongeBob had claimed that he had never meant to hurt him, and that he and the others had never stopped caring about him.

Patrick didn't believe those words. He couldn't, not when SpongeBob's mind wasn't his own anymore.

_I want to believe you, SpongeBob, but I can't trust what you say, not while you're being controlled. Don't worry, I'm here. I'll set you free, and maybe then I'll be able to believe you again._

Patrick's metallic muscles began to break the slime covering his body. Patrick wondered when he had become so strong, but he cared little about the answer.

It was irrelevant. All that mattered was that his newly found strength enabled him to fight SpongeBob and rescue him from whatever evil energy was controlling him.

He would free his best friend from that curse. He would not let him become a monster like Larry and Squidward had done before him. If that happened, then Karen would have no choice but to slay him.

_I can't let that happen. I can't imagine my life without you, SpongeBob. You are the only one who treats this fool with respect and care. I'm—I'm glad Gary betrayed me, I'm glad he saved you from me. I don't know what got into me back there, and I'm not going to ask you to forgive me. I know I don't deserve it. What I did to all of you is beyond forgiveness, but even so... I will save you, no matter what it takes! I'll be your hero. This is what a true hero would do, right, Larry? I'll save you SpongeBob, and then, let's go home together...my friend._

* * *

Patrick had become a dangerous threat.

SpongeBob didn't need his sight to sense the growing danger of his situation. The sound of the shattering slime told him more than what a thousand images would have.

He could feel the faint vibration of Gary's protective growls; a moment later, he felt the snail's shell standing before him, shielding him from any potential harm.

"Out of my way, Gary. I have to save SpongeBob!" Patrick roared. "I won't let you interfere! Not even if that means I have to cut you down!"

Patrick's voice became a mournful gasp after Gary's jaws almost managed to capture him in a mortal bite.

As Patrick recovered from the unexpected attack, SpongeBob felt his heart swollen with confusion and fear.

What was Patrick talking about?

From what was he trying to save him?

Worst of all, had SpongeBob heard correctly?

Had Patrick really threatened Gary in such a horrible way?

No, it couldn't be.

Except that it could, and SpongeBob knew it. He had more than enough proof to continue to deny it.

Patrick had changed.

He wasn't his friend anymore; he was his enemy.

Still, SpongeBob feared for Patrick more than he feared for his own safety.

If Patrick had really become an enemy so powerful, SpongeBob knew Gary would try to protect him from him no matter what.

SpongeBob's throat tightened into a painful lump.

_Gary. You'd protect me from Patrick, wouldn't you? Even if that meant you had to kill him._

SpongeBob rested his hands against his pet's shell. Its coldness was numbing, and yet, to SpongeBob, it felt soothing and reassuring.

_I'll fight you if that's what you want, Patrick, but I'm not killing you. I can't kill you, just as much as I cannot let you hurt my Gary. I already lost so many friends. Sandy. No, I will not let the game take anyone else from me! I don't know how, but I'll save you both...even if that means I have to knock some sense into your thick, metallic skull, Patrick!_

"Gary, listen to me." SpongeBob whispered to him as he caressed his shell. Gary stopped growling, but SpongeBob could still sense the stress flowing swiftly through his pet's body. "Patrick is not himself anymore, he won't hesitate to hurt you; so please, I order you to stay out of this fight. You are not to intervene no matter what happens, do you understand?"

"Meow?" Gary muttered as SpongeBob abandoned the safety of his shell and walked toward Patrick. "Meow!"

SpongeBob felt Gary's teeth piercing his forearm.

He clenched his jaw and swallowed a scream. He imagined the concerned expression on Gary's face, and considered himself lucky that his eyes couldn't see it. It would have crushed his resolve and heart.

Gary's tightened his jaws. His bite was relentless, capable of ripping SpongeBob's arm clean, but also tender and caring.

SpongeBob smiled and pressed his hand softly against Gary's mouth.

"I'll be okay, I promise." SpongeBob said. "Now let go and do as I told you, Gary the snail."

Reluctantly, Gary obeyed him.

"Good boy."

For how long Gary would follow his orders, SpongeBob wondered. He dedicated a last smile to his dear pet before leaving him behind.

"Here I am, Patrick." SpongeBob announced, stopping right before his best friend. "It's me you want to fight, leave Gary out of this."

"SpongeBob." Patrick´s voice was full of happiness and relief, as if he was seeing SpongeBob for the first time in years. "I'm happy to see you, I really am. Are you happy to see me too?"

SpongeBob's mouth was dry.

"I—"

"No, don't answer, not yet." Patrick's stomped his metallic feet against the floor. "Not until I've defeated you."

SpongeBob readied his magic. His hands were shaking. He feared his resolve to fight his best friend was as brittle as Gary's willingness to obey him.

_I cannot lose this fight. If I do, Gary and Patrick will end up killing each other. No, no! That will never happen! We'll win the game and we'll get out of this nightmare alive, the three of us. I'll do for Gary and Patrick what I couldn't do for Squidward, Pearl, Mr. Krabs and you, Sandy. If only you were by my side..._

"I'm sorry, Patrick," SpongeBob felt his magic aura sprouting from every pore of his body. Unknown to him, his eyes became blue and glowed like polished sapphires. "But that's not happening."

"It is, SpongeBob. You cannot defeat me, even a fool like me can see that. I'll make you see clearly again. I'll set you free." Patrick muttered before lunging himself at SpongeBob with all the strength his body could muster.

The bubble barrier SpongeBob had created burst the moment Patrick touched it. Just before the unescapable contact from his best friend landed against his body, a couple of words reached SpongeBob's ears.

"My friend."

The impact followed.

Patrick's voice continued to resonate inside SpongeBob even as he laid half-dead on the floor. Soon, Gary's furious growls joined the melody playing inside his mind.

_No, Gary. I'm fine._

SpongeBob got up and dedicated a cheerful grin to the snail.

_I promised you I would take care of this, didn't I? And I would never break my word._

Patrick attacked him again. SpongeBob's felt his pitch-black reality trembled under the weight of Patrick's unchecked power.

"SpongeBob, SpongeBob!" Patrick cried in despair as he slammed his best friend against the floor over and over again. "Don't worry, I'll save you!"

SpongeBob felt the warm touch of his unreleased magic flowing through his body. He had tried to restrain himself in fear he would lose control again, but he was starting to realize he had no choice but to unleash it, even if that meant he had to enter a berserk state where his emotions led his actions.

If he didn't, Patrick would kill him, and everything would be over for the three of them.

He couldn't allow his friends to meet such a cruel fate, not when he could still change things. Doubts and fears had no place in his heart anymore. He casted them away the same moment he allowed his magic to break free.

A new bubble barrier surrounded him.

Patrick had no time to stop his rampaging fists. He gave out a mournful cry as one of them became impaled in one of the barrier's many spikes.

"No, Patrick." SpongeBob said after sending his best friend across the other side of the room with a powerful magic impulse. "If anyone here needs saving, it's you. I'll save you and Gary no matter what. If that means I have to defeat you and break every bone in your body, then I'll do it."

SpongeBob's left arm became covered in magic aura. It shaped itself into the form of a gauntlet identical to Sandy's.

He listened to his surroundings, and when he caught the sound of Patrick's steps, SpongeBob lunged his attack at him without hesitation.

The magic gauntlet crashed against Patrick's metal fist like a pair of clashing swords.

They roared and struggled, both blinded by their desire to save the other.

Standing alone and forgotten in a distant corner, Gary witnessed their fight.

Never in his life the snail had felt a greater sadness. It was a cutting feeling he couldn't wholly comprehend, no matter how hard he tried.

* * *

Plankton was starting to think his antennae had led him in the wrong direction when he finally saw her.

"Karen!"

He found her standing alone in the middle of a hallway covered with rust and decay. She was all alone.

Plankton didn't mourn SpongeBob's absence. If the kid had proven to be anything was unpredictable, dangerous even.

Plankton had vague memories of the fight against Krabs, but the image of SpongeBob losing control was one of the few things he could remember clearly. He wouldn't have thought that meek, simple sponge could be the wielder of so much hidden power.

It was a shame that kind of potential had been wasted on someone as incompetent as SpongeBob SquarePants.

Plankton liked to imagine what he would have been capable of if that power had been granted to him instead.

He too sometimes fantasized about how their journey would have turned out if the Echo Blade had chosen him in the first place.

Had it happened, Karen wouldn't have needed to hack into the game's source code in the first place. That alone would have saved them a lot of unnecessary trouble and hardship.

 _I would have been a better wielder._ _It should have been me._

The thought sprouted inside Plankton's mind every time he dwelled on the matter for too long. It left behind a bitter aftertaste that resembled envy and resentment.

He didn't blame Karen for what had happened, and yet, those ill feelings lingered buried somewhere deep inside him.

They began to resurface once more, just as Plankton hurried to his wife's side.

_I'm sorry, Karen. These feelings just come natural to me, even against you. You don't deserve it...I'll work on this it once we get back home, okay? Everything will be better for us now that the Secret Formula is ours! The days of crushing defeat and humiliation are over at last, Karen. Now we can go back home and live the lives we always wanted, the lives we both deserve! Let us return together, honey._

"Baby, I'm so glad you're okay!" Plankton jumped directly to Karen's screen with his arms wide open. "When I woke up and I couldn't find you, I thought something horrible had happened to you. Thank Neptune I was wrong. I don't know what I would do without you, honey."

Plankton opened his eye and stared at Karen's broken screen. She stood still and silent; even the constant humming sounds of her inner circuits were gone.

Plankton's antennae quivered as the smile on his face slowly disappeared. "Karen?"

She grabbed him and pulled him away from her. Her touch was soft but emotionless, more akin to an automatized reaction than a sentient gesture.

Plankton felt a hole in his stomach. For the first time in years, he saw Karen as nothing more than a machine.

"Plankton." A small beeping sound come together with Karen's distorted voice. "It's you."

_She's more damaged than I thought._

Plankton concealed his anxious thoughts behind a sad smile.

_This could be a problem. How is she going to fight when she can barely talk? Dammit, this is the last thing we need right now!_

"Plankton?"

"I'm here, baby." Plankton put aside his concerns and focused on his wife, hoping that she would be quick about it so that they could carry on.

She needed to save her energy and focus on finishing the game, everything else would have to wait. He knew there was no need for him to say the thoughts out loud.

As unstable and sentimental as Karen had become, Plankton trusted she still had enough good judgment in her to realize the urgency of their situation.

"I have a question." Karen continued. Her fingers wrapped around Plankton like hungry eels catching their prey.

"Karen, this isn't the time..."

Plankton tried to free his arms from her, but the more he moved, the tighter Karen's grasp became. It didn't take long for pain to shoot through all his body.

His bones started to creak.

"Karen, you're hurting me!"

"Are you proud of yourself, Sheldon J. Plankton?" Karen's screen twitched, alternating between red and green with glitchy, violent motions that sent shivers down Plankton's spine. "Thanks to you, Sandy is dead. You sacrificed her only for the sake of a stupid sandwich recipe. You sad, disgusting creature. It shames me to be your wife."

"What?" Plankton's mind was a whirlwind of conflicted emotions that gave him no quarter or time to find more eloquent words.

"The Secret Formula is yours. You win." Karen's screen glowed blood red. The crimson light of her scanner burned like a laser as it examined every inch of Plankton's body with cruel slowness. "Or do you?"

Plankton grumbled in pain and exasperation as he struggled to break free from Karen's hand, but his strength couldn't compare to hers. He felt like an urchin at the mercy of a hungry shark.

"Karen, what are you doing? It's me!" Plankton cried. "Stop! Computer W.I.F.E, I order you to stop this instant!"

"Scanning, scanning...Now extracting the code of the Secret Formula from Sheldon J. Plankton's mind." The computer announced without any kind of concern for her husband. "Extraction complete. Now releasing subject."

Plankton plummeted to the ground. His face kissed the floor with a silent bump. He bounced once before landing on his back; his body was limp, overwhelmed with a paralyzing weakness that seemed to become stronger with every passing second.

His only movements were result of his heavy breathing. With the little strength he had left, he fixed his eye on Karen.

From that angle, she looked like a titan ready to squash him.

"Karen." Plankton said as he rested his weight on his hands and knees. "Why?"

"The Secret Formula is no longer yours, Plankton." Karen said with childish glee. Her voice was so high-pitched that it was hard to understand her words. "If you want it back, first you'll have to catch me, and then, you'll have to...Oops, I'm saying too much. Do you want to know the rest? Do you want your beloved Secret Formula back? Then come after me, dear. Hurry, before I get away! This'll be so much fun!"

She cackled as she dashed in the opposite direction.

"Karen!" Plankton got back on his feet. He took one step forward before stumbling down under the weight of his own exhaustion. "Stop!"

_Karen, how could you? Why did you betray me? Are you on SpongeBob's side now?_

A single tear formed on his eye.

The initial pain that invaded him soon mutated into a new, more powerful feeling. It burned just as much as Karen's scanner had done. It felt like a cleansing fire that transformed his weakness into ashes.

From them, a new sentiment was born. One that was as familiar to him as the beating of his heart.

_Karen, I...I hate you!_

A new surge of power granted him the strength necessary to run after the crazed computer. If his wounds caused him any pain, it was dulled by his raging determination. On his mind, only one thought remained.

_The Secret Formula. Give me it back to me, you traitorous machine!_

* * *

Karen had no chance to defend herself or escape. It all happened swiftly. The armoured monster was as nimble as it was strong, and with an elegant maneuver, it had enclosed its deformed fingers around her arm fused with the Echo Blade.

It lifted Karen without any effort, as if her synthetic body was made of feathers. The armoured monster held Karen so close to its helmet that its hot breath tarnished her broken screen.

"This sword doesn't belong to you, computer. You have no right to wield it, after all..." The monster grabbed Karen's body with its other arm. It was rotten and damaged, but it still had enough strenght to snap Karen in half."You have no soul."

_That wound, that voice..._

Karen thought as her arm was forcefully ripped apart from her body.

_Sandy?_

The armoured monster let her go.

Karen fell to the floor together with a shower of her own severed cables, loosened screws and dripping oil.

_**WARNING! SERIOUS HARDWARE DAMAGE DETECTED!** _

_**Initiating repairing protocol.  
** _

Shivering in pain and desbelief, Karen covered her wound with her only remaining hand. It did nothing to stop the abundant flow of oil.

Soon, it formed a thick, wide puddle under Karen's body.

_The Echo Blade..._

"Sandy." Karen whispered before her screen fell flat on the floor soaked with her oil.

Her vision went blank except for the persistent messages her body sent her.

**_Reparations at 40%..._ **

**_Reparations at 45%..._ **

Despite the hopelessness of her situation, her body continued to battle on. If only Karen could say the same about her nonexistent soul, which wished for her to shut down for good once and for all.

_I have to keep going._

**_Reparations at 50%..._ **

_Or do I?_


	22. The Error

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys! Thank you all for your patience and for the Kudos, and to TooManyFandoms for the comment! It means a lot to me you are all enjoying the story.
> 
> After a long wait, here's the new chapter! Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

_I know this place._

It was Karen's first conscious thought after waking up. It took a quick look at her surroundings for her to recognize the synthetic environment that unfolded before her.

The familiarity of the place made her feel at ease, almost at home, as if she had somehow returned to the Chum Bucket.

_I want to stay here._

A peace like she had not felt in a long time overcame her.

_I don't want to go back._

Her comfort transformed into uncertainty once her sense of self became more unified. She looked again with clearer eyes and discovered how much that place had changed.

Though the source code was in essence the same old agglomeration of codes, files and other vital information of the game, it had morphed to the point where Karen couldn't believe she had mistaken it for the place of her memories.

Everything, from the structure of the files to the inner processings of data, was more complex.

More refined.

_It has evolved._

Karen thought coldly, with the same detachment she showed when analyzing pieces of data for Plankton's schemes and experiments.

_The game...The SMES is no longer a basic virtual intelligence. There are still some aspects that need more time to develop, but by now, the SMES has evolved into a sentient artificial intelligence. Just like—_

"Me?" The idea caused her shock and disgust in equal doses. "I _—_ what am I doing here? What happened to me? Sandy!"

Panic overwhelmed Karen when her digitalized arms tried to move. After the second attempt, Karen discovered the true gravity of her situation.

Not only had she found her way back into the source code and risked activating the Punishing Program again, her own data was damaged to the point where she couldn't digitalize a physical form beyond that of a small orb.

She was a tiny sphere drifting aimlessly amidst thousands of currents of data, like a speck of dust floating around inside a room.

 _My body._ Karen thought in despair. _If my data is this damaged, then my body must have been destroyed._

She forced her memory and relived her encounter with Sandy with much more lucidity than she would had wanted.

The stress, the fear, the pain of having her arm torn apart. Everything felt raw and real.

Sandy had done that to her.

Karen cringed at the phantom sensations traveling through her data, but she quickly realized that the pain and the loss of her arm were little inconveniences compared to what Sandy had really taken away from her.

_The Echo Blade...No, this cannot be! I have to get it back, if I don't—_

Her train of thought crashed against an invisible wall.

_If I don't, so what? We'll lose the game and all of us will disappear...so? Is it really so tragic if all of us fade away into oblivion? What does it matter? In the end, that's the fate of all organics, and the disappearance of a synthetic such as me is irrelevant. What's more, if all of Bikini Bottom dies, there will be no one left to remember or mourn us. Our deaths will be of no consequence. This isn't tragic at all, is it? Besides, life is too full of suffering, and yet, for one without a soul like me, there's too much emptiness._

Had she'd had the mouth or the monitor necessary to do so, Karen would have smiled.

She was right. The fate she and the others had dreaded since the start of the game, when seen through the cold logic of a synthetic, was not tragic at all. If it was their fate to disappear, there was no point in trying to fight against it. It was a natural and inevitable event that, while cruel at first sight, was also comforting in its tough but fair manner.

_After all, Plankton, SpongeBob and Patrick...they might be dead already. If they are, then this fight is not worth enduring anymore. What would be the point? But what if they aren't?_

Karen stopped just as she was about to dissolve into the SMES' data. She wondered what made her so reluctant out of a sudden.

Was it the hope that Plankton was still alive?

Was it a sentimental sense of loyalty to SpongeBob and all the others that could still be saved?

Or was it merely her surviving protocol manifesting itself again?

Did it matter?

Whatever had stopped her had been strong enough to give her a small sense of purpose. It was like a dying flame trying to keep itself burning while shrouded in pitch-black darkness. It would continue to burn, but only if the answer to Karen's question was _no_.

No, Plankton and the rest weren't dead.

No, they hadn't given up.

They were alive and still fighting.

Probably.

Karen had no way of knowing, not without alerting the SMES of her presence.

_I could still be needed. I cannot disappear just yet. I have to find this answer._

The idea of merging with the flow of data came to her again, this time twice as strong and appealing than before; maybe that was the reason why it caused Karen twice as much grief to turn the option down. She turned her back on the temptation and expelled it from her thoughts before it made a third comeback, one Karen knew she wouldn't be able to refuse.

Instead, Karen chose to focus on finding a path back to her body, no matter how small the chances of it still being functional were. Once she was back to her physical form, she would have to find a way to get the Echo Blade back, even if she had no idea how she would accomplish it.

And if returning to her body was no longer an option, then she would remain in the source code and find a way to modify the game's files so that Plankton and the others still had a chance of winning the game. She would change as many things as necessary to make sure they succeeded, even if it meant cheating and modding the game to its very core.

Karen pondered this last thought for a moment, only to discover it was nothing but horrifying to her.

How could she have come up with such a risky idea in the first place?

Messing around with the source code was not only a senseless plan with no probability of success, it also would mean activating the Punishing Program to boot and making the game more of a living hell for Plankton, SpongeBob, Sandy and Patrick than it already was.

The SMES would answer to her second interference with horrible consequences for all of them. Karen didn't want to imagine what ruthless ideas the artificial intelligence could conceive now that it had become almost as sentient and advanced as she.

If her own cruelty and wickedness were any clue of the reach of the SMES' new potential, Karen had all the more reasons to discard the plan.

The last thing she wanted was to unleash more suffering unto the others.

She would not allow the SMES to hurt them.

Her feelings towards organics, distorted and confused as they were, did nothing to make her wish a fate so cruel for any of those creatures she still cared about.

_I can't let that happen. No, staying here is out of the question, I have to return to my body no matter what, even if that means existing only as a broken monitor or a mass of destroyed cables and diodes! Anything is better than to remain here. I have to get out before the SMES discovers me...but how?_

After a small moment of fear, Karen tried to create a connection with her body. Much to her surprise, she succeeded without effort.

The link between software and hardware manifested naturally, as if it was a limb reacting to an electric impulse.

With hesitation, Karen made a subtle check-up of the status of her body. It was a feeble and basic touch, the best she could do without risking alerting the SMES.

All she was able to discover was that her body was functional. The severity of her injuries was something she would only be able to measure once she returned to it.

It was a bittersweet realization that soured further when Karen remembered she already was missing her arm and the Echo Blade too as a result.

_No, I can't worry about that at this moment. All that matters now is going back to my body; everything else must wait. Focus, Karen! Remember your purpose! Alright, let's see...The path back to my body may be open, but I'm not sure I can complete the process without being discovered. I may have made my way back here without being detected, but I have no memory of how I was able to do that. I don't even remember why I came here in the first place._

She was lying. Karen knew the answer to that statement.

It didn't matter how much she tried to convince herself of the opposite or how hard she tried to feign ignorance, the answer was present within her.

_I came here because..._

Karen was so immersed in her thoughts that a window that showed Patrick savagely attacking SpongeBob passed unnoticed when the currents of data dragged her close to it.

_...this place feels like home. I was dying at the hands of Sandy, and the only thing I could think of as I laid completely defeated before her was how much I wished I was back home, with Sheldon...with everyone. I wanted to escape. I wanted to return to a place where I could be free of all that burden, a place where I could be at peace._

Karen's spherical form twitched as she chuckled bitterly and berated herself for using the term _'dying'_ so casually when referring to herself. It was becoming a habit, one she needed to abandon before it started to feel natural.

Sentimental reasons were worthless, a flaw proper of organics but shameful for synthetics. Besides, they did nothing to explain the cause of her involuntary access to the source code.

Embracing her logical side, Karen continued her search for an answer.

_Answers, answers, answers...they too have become a heavy weight for my shoulders. It's all those damn organics' fault!_

An external hate mingled together with her unfeeling logic.

"Organics are weak." The SMES said outloud.

_Yes._

"Organics are vulgar."

_Yes._

"Organics are selfish."

_Yes! And yet..._

"And yet?"

_I love them._

"I love them too." The SMES echoed with unfiltered melancholy. "I loved one above everyone else. I remember him. My beloved _—_ No, no! I don't know him, I don't remember him! No. No. No. No."

The SMES' feelings mingled with Karen's. Soon, she could no longer tell what feelings belonged to her and which were foreign. It was like trying to distinguish two drops of water after they became one with the ocean.

Karen's sense of self was blurring with every passing second. Horrified at the threat of losing herself, she struggled to break free from the unwanted merging with all the energy her damaged data could muster.

Together with her own fear, Karen felt the SMES' own confusion and anguish. He too dreaded the idea of losing his just awakened sentience to Karen. Just like her, he fought with all his strength to avoid becoming one with her, as if he was convinced that the new consciousness that would be born of their union would be an abomination.

"IN-TRUDER DETECTED. USER KAR-R-REN. PUNI-SH-ING PRO-PRO-PROGRAM IS N-NOW—" The SMES' internal structure froze. Currents of data stopped their course and files glitched like infected with a deadly virus. "WHERE? WHO?"

Sensing the inevitable catastrophe, Karen hung on to her link with her body the same a sailor clings to a rope after falling from his ship during a storm.

No longer worried about the SMES noticing her presence, Karen tried desperately to complete the transference of her consciousness back to her body, but she was trapped inside the frozen data of the SMES.

"SHELDON!" The SMES and Karen screamed at the same time. "MY BELOVED! WHERE ARE YOU? WHO ARE YOU? ANSWER ME, PLEASE! I NEED AN ANSWER. I NEED—"

The SMES' systems fractured.

"ERROR."

Karen began to fall into an endless abyss together with the broken pieces of data.

"ERROR."

Her spherical form disappeared bit by bit as it went back to its rightful place.

"ERROR."

Just before she abandoned the destroyed place she had almost mistaken for her home, a wandering sentiment plagued Karen.

At first she thought it was sympathy, but the illusion didn't last. Karen should have known that a cursed machine like her wasn't capable of such feeling.

Instead, she processed a more basic version of the same sentiment, one more in accordance with her true nature.

It was pity.

* * *

The mocking laughter of the computer guided him throughout their endless chase.

"My dear Sheldon." Karen stood in front of a giant metallic door. "If you have proven to be anything is that you are as slow as you are stupid. A real man would have caught me long ago."

"Enough of this!" Plankton stopped to catch his breath. He knew she wouldn't go anywhere as long as he kept his distance.

He had lost count of how many times they had repeated that charade.

Karen would stay still, always close to a corner or a door, waiting for him to move toward her, luring him to catch her; but once Plankton was an inch away from her, Karen would flee from him again.

Each time, her laughter became crueler and more full of joy. If their chase was a trial of endurance and patience for Plankton, for Karen it was merely a game, an opportunity to mock and humiliate him. It was as if she enjoyed reminding him how vulnerable and weak he truly was when compared to her.

What was his puny and organic body compared to her synthetic form and strength?

If he was such an evil genius, why was a simple task like catching his wife proving to be impossible?

Was that really the limitation of his mind and body?

Wouldn't it be funny if, after undergoing so much hardship to obtain it, Plankton lost the Secret Formula to exhaustion and to his own rogue computer wife?

Had that same situation been happening to anyone else other than him, Plankton would have laughed at the misery and frustration of the poor bastard. He too would have congratulated Karen for her malice and for how much satisfaction she found in her wickedness.

Unfortunately for both, the bastard in question was none other than himself.

That was reason enough to turn that potential comedy into a tragedy.

"What's wrong, Planky?" Karen opened the door behind her and slowly entered the room without turning around. "Are you tired? I bet that using your own damn legs is a lot harder than using me as your personal transporting device all the time, isn't it? You're useless without me. I can't believe I accepted to become the wife of such a pathetic creature like you. I must have been very desperate, or very stupid. I might as well have married that porous fry cook, at least he is twice the man you will ever be. Who knows...now that Sandy is gone, I guess everything is possible."

Plankton clenched his teeth. His body, previously trembling from tiredness, was now shuddering with anger.

"How predictable. My dear husband, I know you so well." Karen laughed with disdain. She gripped the door firmly and began to close it without waiting for Plankton's answer. He ran towards her with a hateful glare shining in his eyes. As she became hidden behind the door, Karen let out a chuckle that sounded more like a whimper. "No wonder I sometimes wish I didn't know you at all."

"I could care less about what you think, computer!" Plankton leaped toward her in a desperate and furious attempt to catch Karen before she could escape from him again. "Do whatever you want with yourself, go marry that fry cook if you love him so much! Go back to the dumpster where I found you and disarm yourself into a mass of cables and diodes! But first...give me the Secret Formula back!"

A white rush of pain blinded him; it came together with the ringing echo of the metallic door.

Plankton felt the warm touch of his blood streaming down from his forehead to his legs. He closed his eye and allowed his body to fall to the floor.

He laid on his back, his stubby hands firmly pressing his fresh injury in a vain attempt to make the pain go away.

"Damn this!" Plankton roared to his empty surroundings. "Damn it all!"

His grunts of pain and anger filled the silence. His voice broke, and the tears stored in his throat threatened to pour out of his eye as freely as blood sprouted from his wound.

_No, I won't cry! Even if no one else can see me now, I won't allow myself to be this pathetic!_

With burning fury fueling his movements, Plankton rested his weight on his hands and stood up as fast as his tired body permitted him.

His arms hung limply on his sides, allowing his wound to bleed without restriction. His eye remained dry. If it glistened, it was only because of blood and resentment.

"Your words..." Plankton said to himself as he crawled under the door and made his way to the other side. "They mean nothing to me. They are merely the meaningless sounds of a defective machine. Irrelevant and useless, just like you—"

Plankton bit his tongue. His wife's name was left unpronounced on his lips. He stopped crawling just as he was about to reach the door's end.

_Say it. Saying it out loud is the first step you need to take to embrace this new reality. The reality where the machine you once considered your eternal companion has abandoned you and you are all alone. Be strong. Youhave already thought about it; you already know it. All that's left is for you to say it._

"Karen." Plankton stuttered, an irrational grief tainting his voice. "I hate you."

The words lingered before they disappeared into thin air.

_Good! Don't you feel better now, user Plankton? Doesn't the acceptance of your newly found misery bring you solace?_

"Solace?" Plankton smiled without emotion. He crawled out from under the door like a sneaky cockroach. "I don't need solace."

He flicked his wrists. The blood soaking his face reflected the crimson glow of his summoned daggers. He admired them and watched how tiny drops of his blood fell on the blades like rain, together with the translucent, salty tears he had tried so hard to contain.

Plankton closed his eye and wished everything was a dream, a lucid nightmare he would soon wake up from. He hoped that when he opened his eye again, hefind himself back at the Chum Bucket.

Back home.

With Karen.

For a splitting second, that thought alone was enough to fill the hole inside him that his wife's betrayal and her cruel words had left.

The sentiment vanished the moment Plankton opened his eye and discovered his reality wasn't the one he had wished for.

_Look at me, wishing upon a star like a stupid child. Useless. Pathetic. I understand now, I don't need fantasies or wishes any more._

"Just like I don't need you, Karen." He wiped his tears with an aggressive swipe of his forearm. "What we had is gone, things between us can't go back to the way they were. I know it now, and I accept it, that's why I won't cry for what's forever lost, but you can be damn sure I'll fight for what can still be saved! If this is the new reality I must live with, then so be it. Our love is gone, but the Secret Formula can still be mine! You are a lost wish, the formula is my new reality."

The image of the Secret Formula back on his grasp accentuated his smile. Plankton tightened his grip on his daggers until his palms became numb.

"Did you hear me, computer?" Plankton's antennae caught a fainting sound. He dashed along the empty, giant shelves of the room as he followed the trace of the traitorous machine. "Answer me, I dare you! Laugh at me, mock me with your venomous and barbed words! I swear it will be the last thing you will ever—"

A distorted, synthetic shriek cut off his frenzied thoughts. Plankton's body became paralyzed with a chilling surge of fear that nullified any other feeling on his mind.

A second agonizing scream followed.

His antennae quivered out of control, as if they had acquired life of their own and wanted to snap off his body and escape.

Plankton felt the floor under his feet tremble and disappear at the same time a heavy headache induced by the computer's screams continued to pierce his mind.

He clenched his eye closed and gnashed his teeth as the pain extended to the rest of his body.

The floor he had felt vanish appeared again behind his back after he collapsed and slammed against it once his legs failed him.

A flow of images appeared amidst the darkness of his closed eye.

Memories.

Memories of his failures.

Memories of his plans.

Memories of his  always empty restaurant.

Memories of his vain, short-lived victory.

And above all, memories of the being he loved most. A being he had never seen before in his life and yet he seemed to love with all the power of his heart.

_My non-existent heart._

The foreign thought leaked inside his mind together with a new pour of memories that didn't belong to him.

_Memories of him...of my beloved—_

**_ERROR_ **

**_ERROR_ **

**_ERROR_ **

"ERROR. ERROR. ERROR"

The machine's voice replaced the screams and filled the place with a monotonous melody of that single word.

"Stop!" Plankton screamed, pressing his head with both his hands as more strange memories flashed before him. "I can't take this anymore. My brain will explode! Please, just STOP!"

" ERR—"

Static silenced the computer's voice.

Plankton heard nothing else and fell into the consuming emptiness of exhaustion.

Before it consumed him completely, a text he had forgotten manifested inside his mind.

**Secret Report Number 3**

_Synthetics are lucky. Unlike us organics, the existence of their consciousness is not dependent of their bodies._

_With the backup data necessary, they can survive the destruction of their physical forms countless of times. In a manner of speech, they are immortal._

_Perhaps, it's for this very reason that the death of a machine saddens me to no end. It is not in their nature to die, and yet, that was the fate of all the_ _**W.I.F.E.-O.M.A.T.I.C** units. _

_The ones that were never activated were destroyed by us before ever having a chance at existence._

_The few that were sold, activated and managed to create a bond with their owners destroyed themselves._

_An emotional matrix overcame their wills to exist. They simply couldn't handle it._

_Life and emotions were too much for them._

_The only thing they left behind were their empty remnants, but their essence, that which made each what they were, was gone for good._

_Except for one._

_Yes, you...my love._

_A part of you still exists. From your destroyed body, I managed to salvage little traces of your data._

_They were corrupted little pieces damaged beyond repair. They weren't enough to bring you back, and yet, I kept them._

_It was the first sentimental decision of my life._

_It's strange._

_I got rid of your destroyed physical body without shedding a single tear. I couldn't bear to look at it, and to see it being taken away to a distant dumpster was a relief._

_Still, I kept what little remained of your data and stored it into a file inside my personal computer._

_There you have existed for years._

_Unused, irrelevant, forgotten by everyone except for me, trapped forever in your digital grave._

_A being as wonderful as you deserves a better fate, my love._

_That's why I'll give you a new purpose, a new chance at life._

_It may not be the one you would have wanted, but I see no other way. You are way too damaged to be again who you used to be, but now you can be something new._

_You can exist with a purpose.  
_

_That's why even if you won't be yourself anymore, even if you won't remember me, even if your emotions are gone, even if we are no longer able to be together ever again...I want you have this chance._

_After all, for synthetics there's nothing worse than to exist without a purpose._

_In that sense, you are not so different from organics._

_So please, beautiful...lend me what's left of your data and help me complete the Punishing Program._

_Accept this new life._

_Fulfill your new purpose._

_Exist._

_That's all your beloved asks of you._

* * *

"SpongeBob."

Sandy spoke as her lust for destruction was quenched. Karen's limp body escaped her arm, but her other hand kept a tight grip on the computer's arm.

The Echo Blade.

"Who did this?" Sandy's knees trembled under her heavy armour. "Was it...me?"

How stupid of her.

To ask a question to which she already knew the answer.


End file.
